


we're just fumbling through the grey

by Resacon1990



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Awesome Sheriff Stilinski, Canonical Character Death, Derek Needs a Hug, Every Little Thing Is Gonna Be Alright, Everyone is a Good Friend, F/M, Fluff, Hale Fire Anniversary, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Jackson is a Good Friend, Laura and Allison are Best Friends, M/M, Minor Relationships, Past Kate Argent/Derek Hale, Scott is a Good Friend, Stiles Helps Derek, Stiles Takes Care Of Derek, isaac is a good friend, past Stiles Stilinski/Matt Daehler - Freeform, stiles is a dork
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-18
Updated: 2014-03-24
Packaged: 2018-01-12 21:26:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 30,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1201273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Resacon1990/pseuds/Resacon1990
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They don't teach you how to love in school. They send you out and expect you to learn yourself. It hurts. You make mistakes.</p><p>Sometimes you can't tell the difference between thirteen and thirty-one.</p><p>But at the end of the day, you'll say <i>I'll give you everything</i>. And at the end of the day, <i>you'll be okay<i></i></i>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all!  
> This is based off of a post I saw on tumblr ([click here](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com/post/76998929204/camillamacaulayy-grinchtaire)) where people were adding the sorts of AU's they wanted, and I was considering doing them all individually but after a bit of mucking around, thinking and reordering I've managed to throw all eleven together to create one giant Sterek mess of humour and angst.
> 
> So, if you have intentions on maybe staying with me through all eleven of these chapters, then thank you so much :) . My writing is most certainly not up to the standard of most of the popular writers on here, and this is the first time I've ever written something that's gone above 12,000 words, and I have written ten out of eleven chapters so I estimate it to be about 28,000-30,000 words long which is a hoofing-great-big-lot.
> 
> And hopefully I'll be updating every two-three days!
> 
> Thank you so much!

Being late is a common thing for Stiles. He was late for almost everything, work, classes, exams, appointments, dates, family dinners, his best friends wedding, although to be fair _Scott_ was late to it as well, and he was the _groom_. Quite literally everything really. 

Like now. When he's running late for his _flight_. 

"Shit shit shit shit," he mutters as he sprints down the hallway towards the boarding station, his laptop wrapped haphazardly around his body, pining the hand gripping his passport and ticket to his chest, his coat sort of wrapped around his neck and his other hand dragging his mini-suitcase that makes him wince every time it smacks against the back of his legs. 

" _Wait_!" he cries as he sees the ladies beginning to shut the gates, the final call for boarding having been declared ten minutes ago while Stiles had been conveniently sitting in the bathroom texting Scott rapidly about how excited he was to be coming home for the weekend.  

Stiles should really think his timing through.  

Thankfully the ladies look up at him, their eyebrows quirked, and one gives him a fond but exasperated smile as if this happens _all the time_. 

Probably does to be honest. Stiles doesn't think he's the only genuine screw up running around. 

He manages to stumble to a stop in front of them, breathing hard and gives them a giant grin as he thrusts his stomach forward and wiggles the ticket and his passport between his fingers. The fond lady takes them from him, rolling her eyes, but she just gives him another smile as she waves him through. 

"Welcome aboard, Mr. Stilinski," she says, and Stiles hears the other lady talking into a walkie-talkie about a 'late-comer' and he gives her a brief nod before taking off down the gangway with a rushed "thank you!" over his shoulder. 

The man waiting for him at the other end raises an eyebrow as his appearance but smiles when Stiles grins at him and chirps a happy hello. 

"So sorry," he says breathlessly, and the man smiles before gesturing with his hand to take the tickets. 

"Row Thirty-One, Seat A," and the guy just smiles at him, "take the right aisle and you'll be on the right side window seat." 

Stiles nods and gives him a grin and thank you before hurrying away. He quickly turns down the right aisle, nodding at the other attendants as he races past, and he quickly passes through first class and and soon sees his row. 

There's only another man sitting there in the aisle seat, and Stiles takes a second to admire him because _dayum_ , he's _fine_ , and he really does like the sort of dark and broody look and this guy really pulls it off in his black and white suit with his hair all artfully messy and his hazel eyes, Stiles literally almost swoons because _hazel eyes_ , looking out the window and- 

The plane starts rumbling underneath him, and he gives a startled yelp as he darts forward, drawing the attention of almost all of the cabin including the guy he's to sit beside for _six hours_ (give or take twenty minutes) and he offers him a grin as he moves to stand over him. 

Stiles can literally see the moment the guy realises Stiles is to sit by him. Probably because the guy groans, covers his face and says, "damn my life". 

"Most people say fuck," Stiles replies, trying not to feel insulted because _hey_ he's not that bad, and instantly gets some dirty looks that he rolls his eyes at, "but damn could work too." He turns his head to look up at the compartment above him, trying to figure out how to open it with one hand, and then he looks at himself and tries to figure out how take his laptop off to free his two hands with only one hand. 

He ends up turning back to the guy. "Could you help me, please?" he asks with a grin. 

"No." 

"Great!" and he steps back for the guy to move out into the aisle, even though the guy just gives him a looks. Stiles just shakes his head and quirks his lips. "Look man," he sighs, "we've got to get along for the next six hours-" 

"Five hours and forty minutes." 

"Oh god, you're one of _those_ people," and despite the fact the guy is good looking, Stiles might actually die, "but seriously, dude, I have to get past you anyway. It's a good thing for both of us if you help me. I would die from having everything strangle or fall on me, and you don't get me crawling all over you! Win win!" 

"I don't think so." 

Stiles grits his teeth, because man okay, before he takes a deep breath to calm himself. "Look, asshole," he hisses, making sure to keep his voice low, "give me a fucking hand or I will literally spend the next few hours making your life hell. You can tell I can't do this by myself, and there aren't attendants around at the minute, so grow a pair and stop being such a fucker." 

The guy looks at him with distaste, and Stiles has to resist the urge to poke his tongue out, before he sighs himself and stands up. 

"Don't call me dude," he snaps as he opens up the compartment above then surprises Stiles by taking his suitcase from him to shove in the compartment. Stiles just grins and nods his head as he reaches up with his free hand to shove his coat in there too before wrestling off his computer. 

"Thanks, mate," he cheerfully chuckles before dropping into his seat with a sigh of relief. 

The guy slips in beside him and mutters a "or mate" before he's doing up his seatbelt and staring straight ahead. 

Stiles frowns for a moment before he turns to find his own seatbelt, only to groan when he realises it's under his ass and he turns to the gun with a grimace. 

"Sorry, hold this for a second, please?" he asks as he plonks his bag on the other guys lap and shoves his hand under his ass. He can see the guys surprise, it's literally all over his face, and Stiles offers him a smile and a, "seatbelt?" as he finds it and drags it out in a fist. 

He takes the laptop bag back and goes to pull out his laptop when a flight attendant appears beside them, her smile seemingly forced as she says, "please place your bag under the seat in front of you, sir."  

Stiles bites his lip and apologises as he does just that, and the attendants smile seems genuine as she walks off. Maybe she'd had trouble with some other passengers? 

"People can be assholes, right?" he comments to the guy beside him, and he gets a grunt and pointed look in return. 

Yeah, okay, guy has a point. Throwing his stuff all over him probably wasn't the best first impression. 

"Sorry," Stiles quietly apologises after a moment of silence and gives the guy a small smile, "can we start again? I'm Stiles." 

He offers a hand out to be shaken, and the guy looks like he'd rather bite it than shake it but slowly he raises his eyes to Stiles. Not that it gives him butterflies or anything. 

"Derek," he grumbles as he hesitantly shakes Stiles's offered hand. Stiles grins at him instantly as he gives their hands one hard shake and nods. 

"Pleased to meet you, Derek," he says and Derek grimaces at him before turning back to face the front, not that Stiles is going to let him get away like that as he leans forward to keep speaking, "where are you heading to?"  

Derek actually looks a bit pained as he turns to Stiles with a raised eyebrow, "California. Obviously," he states and Stiles frowns. 

"Well yeah, but where? LA? San Diego? San Fran?" 

Derek gives him a look that Stiles can roughly translate as meaning "oh god help me" but he just grins and waits patiently until Derek's grits out "Beacon Hills." 

Stiles goes silent before grinning and reaching over to knock Derek's shoulder with his fist, "really? Me too buddy!" 

"Don't call me buddy." 

"Family? Friends? Hometown?" Stiles questions, not even registering Derek's grumbling as he grins happily, "I've got all of the above. You? I haven't seen you around before… how old are you?" 

Derek looks overwhelmed before he sighs and seems to finally give up on moodily glaring the seat in front of him into submission. "Family," he finally says, "and hometown. I left when I was sixteen though." 

"And you're…?" Stiles prompts and Derek flashes him an irritated look. 

"Twenty-six." 

"Huh," and Stiles flops back into his seat with a look of wonder, "I would've been twelve. How'd I miss you?" 

Derek just shrugs and he surprises Stiles by seeming to just wait for his next question. He grins as he turns in his seat until his hips are straining against the seatbelt and he's sitting sideways. 

"So what do you do? I'm a college student at Harvard. In my third year of majoring for Criminal Justice, top of my class and everything. My Dad was Sheriff of Beacon Hills and I sorta wanna be in the police too. But at the same time I'm doing a major in history and minor mythology so if I flunk out of that idea I can go do something with those." 

Derek doesn't look impressed though and just looks past Stiles out the window. Stiles glances behind him to see they've taken off, and _how_ had he missed that, before waiting patiently for Derek to answer. 

When there is no reply though he lets out a huff and mutters "rude" under his breath as he turns to sit properly. 

"I'm a writer and businessman," Derek states and Stiles turns to him with wide eyes. 

"Real? Written anything famous?" he asks but frowns before Derek can reply, "wait, why are you down here in cattle class then? If you're a businessman, shouldn't you be in business?" 

Derek stares at him for a long moment, enough for Stiles to feel a bit uncomfortable, before Derek opens his mouth and says _very_ slowly, "this is business class." 

Stiles freezes and looks around and yep, _yep_ , Derek would be right as he realises that there is only six seats to a row, two on each side and two in the middle, and there's a lot of space and compared to cattle? This is practically first class. 

He glances at his ticket, reads Row Thirty-One and yep, he glances up and sees Row Thirteen. He groans as he drops his head into his hands, his ticket slipping from between his fingers. 

"Oh _shit_ ," and Derek looks at him with a raised eyebrow and a small smirk is growing on his face that Stiles sort of wants to hit it off, "why didn't you tell me sooner!" 

"How was I supposed to know that's not your seat?" 

Stiles glares at him and gestures at himself, the plaid shirt and t-shirt saying ' _bitch I might be_ ', and snaps "do I look the kind?" but Derek just shrugs and gestures a couple of rows ahead, and Stiles looks over to see a rather pudgy looking guy wearing a horrendous Hawaiian shirt, shorts and… heels? 

"You're not the worst here." 

Stiles bites down a hysterical giggle just as he sees an attendant walking towards them, in fact _the_ attendant that had let him onto the plane and he swears. 

"They'll kick me out into cattle and I'll have to do the walk of shame and _shiiiit_." 

Derek stares down at him as he slides further down his seat and he suddenly rolls his eyes as he says, "look, I'll make you a deal. Shut up and you can sit there." 

Stiles stares up at him with a frown and cocks his head to the side. "What? How can you do that?" 

Derek raises an eyebrow just as the attendant reaches them, his eyes on Stiles as he opens his mouth, only for Derek to raise his hand and silence him. 

"Is is okay if my friend, Mr. Stilinski, sits here? We probably should have asked first, but no one was sitting here and he was the last one on the plane, and I haven't seen him in years," he grins up at the attendant and Stiles has to stop himself drooling at that because _dayum_ , "I'm really sorry for the inconvenience." 

The guy seems to struggle for a moment, obviously wondering if that's allowed, and he glances over at another attendant who's suddenly turned up beside them. 

"Of course he may, sir," she says sweetly, "nothing to be sorry about. Would either of you like refreshments?" 

That is how Stiles finds himself sitting beside Derek with a glass of cake-flavoured vodka and a completely stunned look on his face as he watches the man take a sip of his Jack Daniels with a smirk. 

"How," he starts, "the hell did you do that? How do you know my last name?" 

Derek just snorts and places his drink down beside Stiles's, giving the vodka a distasteful look and Stiles does have to admit cake-flavoured vodka is a bit crazy but damngood, before holding out his hand with a slip of paper pressed between his fingers. 

"You dropped your ticket before," he says and Stiles grabs it from him with a squeak, "idiot." 

Stiles gaps at him for a little longer before he grins. "Thanks, bro," he says as he claps him on the back, "I owe you one." 

"Just shut up and don't bother me for the next five hours," he remarks in reply, and Stiles wonders if the guy is always this stroppy and rude, "and don't call me bro." 

Stiles nods his head and reaches for his drink as he agrees. Fair enough really, the guy may be a bit of a jackass but he has saved Stiles's ass from being booted down the other end of the plane and given disappointed looks. "I won't bother you for the rest of ever," he declares with a grin as he claps his hand down on Derek's shoulder, "promise." 

He can't help but laugh at Derek's snort of, "yeah right."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> accidentally picked the wrong seats in an airplane AU.
> 
> Done.
> 
> [list of AUs](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com/post/76998929204/camillamacaulayy-grinchtaire)  
> [my tumblr (if you wanna join me)](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com)


	2. Chapter 2

He ends up staying quiet for most of the time like promised, only being told to shut up a couple of times after he puts in his headphones and accidentally starts singing the songs out loud. Derek looks exasperated but weirdly fond when he does so, and Stiles thinks that it might be because the guy in the heels and Hawaiian shirt joined in to his cruel butchering of Jason Derulo's _'Marry Me'_.

Or it might be because of the fact he was singing Jason Derulo. Oops.

Once the planes lands though he can't stop his blabbering as he starts chattering about how excited he is to be back home and thanks Derek profusely for being kind enough to pull down his stuff from the compartment. Might've also been cause his stuff was sorta crushing Derek's, but Stiles just grins and bounds along behind Derek as they leave the plane.

They separate again though, Derek disappearing god knows where and Stiles off to find some curly fries before his next flight, and he gives Derek a grin as he shoots off with his bags once again tangled around him and smacking his legs.

He spots Derek once he's on the connecting flight to Beacon Hills, the plane being small enough for him to see him looking quite pissed off really as the woman beside him drapes herself over him with wide eyes, big teeth and terribly large breasts.

Stiles turns up his nose.

The flight is short, only an hour, but an hour is long enough for Stiles to have to ask for a bucket or something so he doesn't drown in the drool his neighbour is producing, and to get a good eyeful of Derek's interactions.

At first he seems lenient towards the girl, and Stiles snorts because she's getting better treatment than he did, before Derek's mood suddenly seems to drop and Stiles watches as he finally seems to reply to the girl. When he looks back she's staring out the window looking close to tears and Derek's hiding behind his book with what looks like a tight grimace on his face.

Wow, Stiles thinks, he can't tell if Derek's an asshole or not.

Like he said though, the plane ride is short and soon he's lost sight of Derek but is bounding out, picking up his luggage and disappearing out the door towards the waiting lounge. Instantly he's looking for Scott, knowing the guy will have a giant board with Stiles's unpronounceable first name on it and Allison will be at his side with an overly exasperated smile.

He knows them well.

Soon enough he sees the sign, grimacing at the atrocious glitter which is definitely a new addition to this months pick up, but he sees it leaning against a suitcase. He spots Allison standing beside it though, laughing with a woman Stiles recognises for some reason, but sure enough there's Scott standing there with his back to him as he seems to be laughing with the two.

" _Scotty_!" he screeches as he literally flings himself at the guy, hugging him tightly from behind and blowing a raspberry into his neck. He feels Scott freeze beneath him, and wonders why for a moment, but ignores it as he laughs in his ear and squeezes tightly as he asks, "did you miss me?"

It's the silence followed by a gruff, "not really," that makes Stiles's blood runs cold as he looks up to see Allison's horrified face and the other woman literally turning red as she tries not to laugh.

"This isn't Scott, is it," he states stupidly, and it's when Scott appears in front of him with a screwed up face that he sighs, "shit."

It's not until the guy he's on clears his throat that Stiles finally lets go and drops to the ground, only for the guy to turn around and Stiles groans.

Derek.

"Crap," he swears before he turns to Scott, "you may now kill me with my own shame. There's enough of it to be tangible."

That seems to be the last straw as the other woman loses it and starts laughing, the sound carrying out over the entire airport as she cackles out a "Stiles, god I missed you."

Images of a hens night, that Stiles had for some reason been dragged too, that had ended with Stiles and this lady cackling together and throwing dollar bills at Allison as she did a strip tease whilst belting out "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" flash through his head, followed by some rather rated images of Stiles and body shots and an incredibly good looking man with _oil_ , all accompanied by this woman's laugh.

 _Ohhhh_.

"Laura?" he hesitantly greets, and Allison gives him a nod to show he's right and he grins. Of course, she's Allison's best friend aka maid-of-honour aka the woman that Stiles had drunkly confessed he'd marry if he didn't love penis so much, which had led to them declaring they'd get married but have their own bits on the side, so of course Stiles recognises her. She was _fantastic_.

"I didn't recognise you," he says as he steps forward to hug her tightly, "you've put on weight, fat ass."

"Like you can talk, chubby-cheeks," she snorts with another bit of laughter before grinning at him, "remind me to take you out. I think everyone needs some more Stiles in their life."

He shakes his head and laughs, "I think Derek here would beg to differ."

Laura's gaze instantly turns to Derek and she grins. "What can you possibly hate about Stiles, brother _dear_?" she practically coos and Stiles freezes because _oh_.

Right. Hale. Derek's last name is Hale and _seriously how did he miss that_? He turns to stare at the two of them because yep, yep definitely look alike and really, he's majoring in Criminal Justice!

He should just not be a cop.

"You're Derek _Hale_?" he can't help but gasp, "as in Scott's other BFF slash had supposed to be Scott's other groomsman but couldn't come to the wedding, Derek?" and Derek raises an eyebrow in his direction but gives a short nod as Laura snorts another round of laughter and Stiles just gapes. 

He's about to say something else, he doesn't know what, not that it matters because his brain to mouth ratio is so gone, but Scott's phone going off distracts them all. Within moments Scott has it out and they're all staring at him before he grins.

"It's just John, wondering how long we're going to be."

Stiles grins at the mention of his father and nods before he's turning to the Hale siblings with his mouth already open, only for Laura to suddenly be hugging him and that open mouth? Yeah, sort of filled with disgusting tasting but oddly nice smelling black hair that he pretty much chokes on.

He'll save the fur-ball jokes until later.

"Allie has my number so make sure she gives it to you," she mumbles into his chest and Stiles awkwardly pats her back before giving in and just hugging her fully. She giggles and he feels the vibrations on his collar bone before she pulls back and smiles at him. "See you around!" she says, and Stiles nods.

They start to walk away with Derek not even acknowledging Stiles, and Stiles's eyes narrow at that. He glances at Scott and Allison briefly before he cups his hands around his mouth. "Yo, Derek!" he yells, getting his attention, "no need to be such a fucking asshole, dude."

The way Derek's jaw clenches in irritation is enough to have Stiles grinning all the way out to the car.

"So, how do you know Derek?" Allison asks as soon as they're settled in, and Scott leans forward to stick his head in-between the two front seats to hear the answer.

"I sat by him on the plane."

Scott frowns up at him and says, "Derek flies business class."

"And I don't?" Stiles gasps, clutching his chest and opening his mouth in a scandalised way. Scott just rolls his eyes though and hits Stiles's thigh.

"You're too poor to even own a car, Stiles, how can you afford to fly business."

He's got a point, Stiles admits and he grins at the two of them before launching into his story about his ill-timing and screw up with his seating. Allison giggles through it and Scott groans and mutters something about Stiles being a dick, but Stiles just rest his elbow on the back of Scott's head and directs his talking to Allison instead, ignoring the muffled sounds of Scott yelling at him.

"And you didn't recognise him? At all?" Allison eventually asks when he's finished and Stiles shrugs.

"He wasn't at your wedding, but I do remember him sending in something that I had to read out," he frowns at the two others, "did you meet him through Laura?"

Allison laughs, "actually I met Laura through Derek."

"How?"

Her laugh instantly cuts off and Stiles feels Scott freeze beneath his elbow. He moves his arm to let him move with a concerned frown, but when he doesn't, in fact when he seems to try sinking into the leather of the arm rest even more, Stiles frowns over at Allison in question. She sighs as she glances down once at her husband before giving Stiles a forced smile.

"Do you remember about six years ago when Scott's father turned back up," she says softly and Stiles is surprised at the sudden change in mood, "and Scott found out why his parent's divorced?" Stiles slowly nods in answer, thinking about how much of a jackass Agent McCall was for fleecing his wife for all she was worth on top of _abusing_ her, and Allison gives him a bitter smile before continuing, "and remember when Scott… got those anger problems?"

Stiles would never forget that, _could_ never forget. The moment when he walked into the McCall household and saw Melissa cowering in the corner as Scott threw plates and glasses and mugs against the wall in his screaming rage was permanently ingrained in his memory. The beating he'd endured from Scott though when he'd tried to stop him? That was only in flashes, and that was mostly only flashes of a hospital, his father and Melissa looking terrified as Scott screamed "I'm sorry!" over and over again.

He can't help but shiver at the memories.

He hears Scott whimper beside him, and he smiles sadly as he reaches out to rub his hand over Scott's hair. He knows Scott still can't look him or anyone in the eye when those events are brought up, and he hates it when Scott still thinks he has to apologise for it. 

"Yeah, I do," he finally says and he tugs a little on Scott's hair as he slides his fingers through it reassuringly.

Allison glances down at them and smiles softly before looking back out to the road and continuing, "and remember when your Dad recommended an anger management coach to Melissa, even though it meant Scott would be spending six weeks in Chicago by himself followed by weekly check ups once a month for the next few years?"

Yeah, he remembers those long weeks too. He'd spent the first three weeks of the six week gap recovering, but every time Scott went to Chicago after that Stiles would always miss him. He used to think it was unfair that Allison got to go with him and he was told to stay, but when he thinks about it realistically? He just would've served as a reminder of Scott losing his cool, and Allison had been his 'anchor' or something like that. Apparently Scott's teacher taught him that and…

Stiles's mouth drops open, and he's really getting sick of that, as he comes to a sudden and halting realisation before he gasps a scandalised " _no_ ".

Allison laughs before nodding, "yep," she says, "Derek's that coach."

"You're kidding me!" and he glances down at Scott who, while still not looking at him, nods with a small smile on his face, "Mr. Tall, dark and asshole, who _seriously_ needs to work on his people skills, is your ex-anger management coach?"

"Yeah, he is," and Scott snorts with a shake of the head, "and you warm up to him eventually. Trust me, you have no idea how many times I tried to attack him in that first week alone purely cause he's an ass."

Stiles gapes for a bit longer before he shakes his head and laughs. "Tried?" he asks, because despite being an amateur Scott can pack one hell of a punch when mad, and Scott smiles.

"The guy's basically a black belt."

"Learnt from Laura," Allison adds and Stiles nods because that's right, Laura's a martial arts teacher. He remembers her flattening him out on his ass numerous times on the lead up to the big wedding for saying something rude.

"Jeez, to think Derek Broody Hale helped people with their anger issues," he snorts and shakes his head before he frowns and stares at them with narrow eyes, "but he's from Cambridge, not Chicago. And he told me he's a businessman slash writer."

"He moved," Allison sighs, "and changed his profession. I think he enjoyed his job, but out of five people there's always going to be one that relapses, and out of eight there's always one you can't fix. And I think Derek just got tired of seeing his failures constantly walking through the door, and seeing the ones he couldn't help."

"Especially when you think of his past," Scott continues for her, "We all know he constantly blames himself, and sees _himself_ as a failure. I can't honestly blame him for quitting."

Neither can Stiles when he thinks about it. Everyone in Beacon Hills knows of the Hale fire, and many know that Allison's Aunt was the one behind it. It always surprises him to remember that Laura is Allison's best friend, but now that he thinks about it… it's more surprising that Derek is friends with her at all.

Guess that also answered Stiles question of Derek being _eighteen_ when he would've taken Scott under his wing. No doubt the man would've been filled up with so much anger and guilt that he would've _had_ to control.

"The ten year anniversary," he murmurs after a moment of thought, "that's soon isn't it?"

Scott nods, "Monday," he says and Stiles bites the inside of his cheek. Only three days away. Now he knows why Derek came back.

The car jolts as it hits the curb, and Stiles looks up to see his house right in front of him as Allison drives up the drive, and he feels terrible as he pushes all thoughts of Derek to the side before he gets out to greet his Dad waiting in the doorway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hugged the wrong person from behind AU.
> 
> Done.
> 
> [list of AUs](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com/post/76998929204/camillamacaulayy-grinchtaire)  
> [my tumblr (if you wanna join me)](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com)
> 
>  


	3. Chapter 3

"She's _what_!"

"Stiles, calm down, it's no big deal-"

"No big deal?" Stiles stares at Scott as if he's just had his head bashed in with a baseball bat, maybe he has, maybe the guy is dying slowly from brain damage because this is a _huge_ deal.

"Stiles-"

"Scott, _you're going to be a father_!" and suddenly Stiles can't help but laugh as he runs forward and drags his friend into a hug, "that's _fantastic_!" 

Scott seems stiff for a moment before he sinks into Stiles's embrace and laughs with him. "Yeah," he says breathlessly, "yeah it is. She's ah, she's about four months along now actually," and Stiles pulls away with a frown.

"And you didn't tell me?" he asks, but from the look of Scott's face he knows that it was actually probably a mutual decision.

"I wanted to but, Allison," Scott looks down, "she wanted to wait until the five month mark at least. There's ah… there's a history of miscarriages in her family. And possible stillborns. But she saw that I was getting a bit antsy, I mean, I was going to do it for her no matter what but-"

"Scott, bro, it's fine," Stiles interrupts and reaches forward to grab his shoulders with a grin, "you're going to be a _dad_ , Scott, and I'm gonna be a Uncle. You have no idea how happy I am! This is so awesome!"

Scott's laugh is literally music to Stiles's ears. At least it's not crying which he knows Scott is prone to, and he grins at his friend who suddenly seems so happy, who's grin suddenly seems that much bigger and Stiles wants to laugh again.

"I, well we were gonna ask you later but, um," Scott looks nervous for a second before he smiles so brightly at Stiles he thinks he might need sunglasses, "would you maybe do us the honour of being godfather?"

Yep. Stiles just broke.

" _Fuck yes_!" he cries and lunges forward to literally lift Scott up, throwing him around in a hug before he's striding across the room, pushing open the door into the kitchen and interrupting Melissa's sentence to grab Allison around the waist to also pull her into the air for a hug, mumbling " _thank you thank you thank you_ " under his breath as he does so.

"Scott told you then?" Allison asks with a giggle as she pats Stiles's hair and Stiles grins as he drops her before cupping her cheeks.

"Yes, he did, and yes I will be godfather and _god_ , Allison, I'm going to be the best uncleslash godfather ever," he laughs as he leans in and kisses her once on the lips before turning and doing the same to Scott, Melissa's laugh filling the room at his actions, before he strides over to where John is sitting at the table with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, son?" he asks as soon as Stiles stops in front of him.

"We're going baby shopping. Right now."

Despite his protests, Stiles still manages to drag John out the front door and into his car while the others stand on the porch and wave their goodbyes. He gets a sigh from John when he starts up the car, but he still obediently drives down to the mall. Stiles blocks out the little warning his father gives about being a bit too overboard with this baby thing, but luckily he does acknowledge that it'll be fine for one day to freak out about it all.

"Where to then, Stiles?" John asks as he climbs out of the car and Stiles gives him a giddy grin as he points in the direction of _Funky Munky's_ and John groans.

"Aw come on, Dad! You should know this place like the back of your hand!" Stiles insists, and John glares at him.

"I went there at least once a week for close to _eight_ _years_ when you were growing up,Stiles, do we really-"

"Yup!"

John groans again but obediently follows him into the store.

Four hours later they come out, both laden down with bags of baby things, and a few toddler things that Stiles couldn't resist and will save until the kid has grown a couple of years, and while John looks ready to kill anyone who walks in front of him, Stiles is absolutely pumped with energy.

"Should we get some lunch or something?" he asks his father, and John's eye twitches before he sighs.

"Might as well. I'll but these all in the car. Meet you inside?"

Stiles nods, "I'll be in the food-court," and he watches as his father nods and limps off as if he's being crushed under all the bags. Probably is. Stiles did get a lot of stuff, especially for a poor student. 

He turns to make his way back indoors, but he pauses as he sees none other than Derek only a few metres or so away on the other side of the car-park. He seems to be looking for someone, and Stiles thinks about going over to say hello, when Derek's eyes suddenly lock on him.

He raises his hand and waves.

Stiles feels something warm in his chest at that for some reason. Not that he likes the guy, well he does because even though he's a douche he is still pretty nice and he _had_ helped Scott with his anger, which Stiles can never be more thankful for than he already is. But he still stares in disbelief for a little bit longer before grinning and raising his hand to wave back.

He's about to open his mouth to call out a hello when someone appears at his shoulder, making him literally jump out of his skin as he automatically flings an arm out to catch the person in the chest. His arm is caught though in a vice like grip, and he swears when he realises who it is.

"Fancy seeing you here, stranger," Laura says in his ear, and Stiles can't actually not smile at her as he gives her a wink in return.

Although, after a moment, Stiles drops his arm from her grip, his face burning up a furious red when he realises that Derek wasn't waving at _him_ , but at _Laura_. He feels mortified now, of course Derek wouldn't wave at him, why would he wave at him of all people? Seriously, he was just some guy he'd met, and most likely wanted to slaughter on the plane, and he can't help but think that if he _maybe_ backed away right now he could avoid the other man. But as he glances over he sees Derek is jogging over to them and _ah shit_.

"Who were you waving at?" Laura proceeds to ask Stiles, obviously not catching on to his dilemma, just as Derek appears in front of him and Stiles literally chokes on his spit as Derek smirks at them.

"I think he was waving at me," he replies for him, and boy does that make Stiles want to reach out and punch that smug look off his face, and Laura quirks an eyebrow in question before Derek continues, "I guess he thought I was waving at him."

Yeah. Stiles would really love for the ground to swallow him up right now. Even something as horrible as purgatory or Hell would be better than Derek's condescending smirk and Laura's growing smile.

"Ah, yeah, I sorta did," he finally manages to mumble and Derek snorts and gives a harsh laugh, one that makes even Laura look at him in surprise. 

Of course it just puts Stiles on edge and he grits his teeth in anger.

"No need to be an asshole about it," he snaps, and its his turn to get Laura's look of surprise even if he chooses not to acknowledge it, "it's not that much of a far-fetched thought," and Derek goes to answer but Stiles raises his hand to cut him off. "Then again," he continues, "why would I think that some _jerk_ I met on a plane would have any interest in talking to me? Let alone acknowledging me? Silly Stiles, how can you be so stupid."

He doesn't even give either of them time to answer before he stomps away into the mall, hands balled up into tight fists and swearing under his breath as he barely registers Laura cussing Derek out. Why does he care anyway? The guy is just a stuck up prick.

He finds a seat in plenty of time, and soon his dad turns up with two plates of food and a smile, which Stiles is thankful for both. At least now he doesn't have to drag himself up from his pity party to get food. Instead he reaches out and takes both plates to settle on the table and waits for his father to stop mucking around with utensils. 

"Wanna tell me what happened back there?" John does ask though as he sits down and Stiles snorts into his hands. Of course his father saw that, and of course he has to bring it up.

"Derek Hale is a giant asshole?" he offers as explanation, but his father purses his lips and shakes his fork in front of Stiles's face.

"Nope, wrong answer."

Stiles grunts as he picks up his own fork and stabs his food viciously, not flinching when his fathers hand covers his own and stops him. "What's wrong son?" he asks softly, and Stiles rubs his free hand over his face.

"I don't want to be continually disrespected by stuck up pompous assholes who think they're better than everyone else," he explains before looking up at his dad who has his sympathy face on, "I had enough of that with Matt. I don't need it from some random guy who it turns out that I might be seeing a little more of from what I can gather from the way Allison and Scott talk like he's hung the moon."

"To them, he has," John replies carefully as he pulls his hand away, "he did in fact help Scott with his issues when he was fourteen. And the fact he even talks to Allison after everything that happened with their families is enough for her to think he's wonderful."

"Allison had nothing to do with the fire," Stiles points out, jabbing his fork in the air and getting a raised eyebrow at the action, "she was only eleven when it happened," and John smiles as he shakes his head.

"Not directly, no. But she did know about it from sneaking around and listening in to Kate's conversations. It was only after she found out who helped Scott that she finally came out about it," John clarifies as he stabs a forkful of food, "she kept it a secret for six years. If it wasn't for Derek stepping in to stop her arrest after she confessed then Allison would've probably been charged with accessory to murder, not to mention aiding and abetting." 

Stiles stabs his own forkful of food harshly as he thinks _of fucking course_ Derek is still perfect despite being a jerk. But as he goes to reply his father speaks up again.

"He is an asshole, Stiles. But at least he's a genuine guy."

"Speaking of," another voice pipes up and Stiles jumps out of his skin _again_  as Laura appears at the end of their table with what can only be described as a shit-eating grin plastered over her face.

"A bell, I'm getting you a bell," he hisses at her but she just gives him a wink.

"Derek here," she continues as if Stiles hadn't spoke and gestures at her brother beside her, "has something to say to Stiles," and she blatantly shoves him forward until he's standing right in front of Stiles who has to tilt his head back to look at him.

"I," Derek pauses and takes a deep breath before he surprises Stiles by crouching down until his eyes are at Stiles's chest height, "I'm sorry for being rude and inappropriate before. It was not.. _stupid_ for you to assume that I would greet you after our encounter on the plane."

Well, it's a stuffy apology if Stiles had ever heard one and he briefly wonders if Derek's current position is uncomfortable with that stick up his ass, but he likes that Derek actually crouched down, making himself smaller than Stiles and Stiles has done psychology, he knows what it's all about.

He guesses Derek does too.

"Ah," he glances once at Laura's smug grin and his fathers 'not bad' face before he turns to Derek and sighs, "yeah, I guess you're alright then."

Derek gives a sharp nod before he stands up and moves back beside Laura, averting his gaze out across the food court. She seems awfully proud of her brother, knuckle-touching his cheek lightly with a grin, and Stiles thinks that Derek doesn't apologise often. No surprises there. The guy probably firmly believes in the saying 'show no mercy, take no prisoners'.

"Right, so now that's done," Laura cheers, clapping her hands loudly enough for Stiles to glare at her again, "we'll leave you to it," and she gives them a giant grin before nodding at them both and tugging Derek behind her with a firm grip on his wrist as she walks away. Stiles can't help but watch as they leave, his eyes on Derek as they go, and it's only when they're about to round one of the corners that Derek finally looks up from where he's been studying the ground and makes eye contact with him.

He looks hesitant for a second, but he glances once at Laura, who's not even looking at him, before he turns to Stiles and raises a hand.

Stiles is so stunned he just automatically waves back.

"So," John coughs into the silence once the two have disappeared and left Stiles sitting there with his hand still in the air and feeling confused, and Stiles is broken from his daze when his dad reaches over to poke him, "guess he's not like Matt then. _He_ never apologised to you, wanker than he is."

"Dad," he chastises with a small smile, "language."

"But it's truuuue," his father whines and Stiles groans at how much it sounds like a group of kids from a kindergarten or something.

"You're an actual child," he mutters as he covers his face with his hands.

John snorts and shakes his head before saying, "at least I'm not the one going gooey eyed over a boy I've just met. Who _waved_ at me." He grins, and it's something Stiles never wants his father to do ever again because it's so _condescending_ , before he sing-songs, "Stiles has a cruuuuush, Stiles has a cruuuuush!"

" _Dad_!"

His father grins as he throws a hunk of food at him before continuing to sing loudly "Stiles and Derek, sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wrong person waved back AU.
> 
> Done.
> 
> [list of AUs](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com/post/76998929204/camillamacaulayy-grinchtaire)  
> [my tumblr (if you wanna join me)](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com)


	4. Chapter 4

Stiles wonders as they're walking up the steps to the theatre on Monday night, the night before he goes, if Allison is prepared to raise two kids instead of just the one as he watches Scott running ahead of them and jumping in puddles in his _nice new suit_. But when he looks at her he sees she's actually watching Scott with the most affectionate look he's ever seen.

It makes him want to vomit a bit.

He's thankfully distracted though by Melissa smoothly walking up beside him and linking their arms together. He glances down to grin at her once before knocking their hips together.

"Hey Mama McCall," he says with a grin and she shakes her head in a laugh.

"You know it's weird when you call me that."

He grins and surprises her by leaning down to kiss her temple, "well I can't call you Mama Stilinski, can I? You and Dad haven't tied the knot _yet_." The way she looks at him, with wet twinkling eyes, makes Stiles stomach roll. He knows how much Melissa seeks out his acceptance, especially now that she's dating his father, but Stiles doesn't think she realises she's always had it.

"So," she begins after a thoughtful moment, "how's Isaac? What's he doing for the winter holiday?"

Stiles smiles and shakes his head, "he said something about going to his brothers when he gets back to Cambridge to spend some time with him. Apparently he's gone away for some reunion and will be back on Wednesday? I think? Day after I get back anyway. It's either that or he's spending it with his boyfriend, well I _think_ he's his boyfriend? Him and Jackson scare me too much to ask."

Melissa smiles and nods, and Stiles knows she has a soft spot for Isaac. He remembers meeting the kid in his first year of Uni, Isaac being the smart ass high school kid in his final year who spent more time at the library being neck deep in books just so he could get into Harvard or MIT, and ending up tutoring him and eventually having him as a flatmate.

He also very clearly remembers bringing him back to meet Scott only for him to find out that Isaac used to live in Beacon Hills and was in fact the old Coach Lahey's kid who'd been shove in the foster system at the age of twelve when everyone found out he was being beaten around, and that Melissa stills remembers the little boy she'd patched up more than once.

"I'll bring him back with me next time, aye?" he finally says, "so you can see him again. I'm sure he misses you too."

The way she looks so thankful makes him smile.

"Now, what this I hear about you having a crush?" she suddenly asks and Stiles instantly groans loud enough that his father looks over and gives them a knowing look and grin.

"I don't have a crush," he insists, "Dad's just being a dick." He frowns down at Melissa as she clucks her tongue and he groans, "how can I even crush on a guy I don't know?"

Melissa laughs and nudges her head against his shoulder. "Oh Stiles," she chuckles, "you really are young, aren't you?" but she smiles up at him so he won't feel _too_ insulted, "you really think that something as fickle as love would make sense?"

"I'm twenty-two. I can't love yet, I don't even know what _love is_. Not to mention I can't love someone _I just met_."

"Well," she pauses and pats his chest lightly, "that's not up to you to decide. And who knows? Maybe these meetings aren't coincidence."

She gives him a kiss on the cheek before she walks away, holding a hand out to John for him to take, and Stiles watches for a minute with a smile before he frowns.

"I'm not settling down at twenty-two! That's Scott and Allison's job! I still have at least half a university to bang!"

At least watching his father turn slightly green and choke on his next breath of air cheers him up before he starts to follow them into the theatre.

He's in the bathroom just cleaning his hands when an announcement pipes up on the speakers that the play is going to start in ten minutes. Luckily he's listening this time so he quickly dries his hands and makes his way out and down towards the doors. The ushers stop him for a minute, asking what number seat he is, and after saying "thirty-six" one nods and leads him down to it.

How on earth he ends up sitting besides Derek Hale stuns him, and it seems to stun the other too as they stare at each other in silence.

"Why are you here?" Stiles can't helped himself from asking, "where's the others?"

Derek frowns and shakes his head, "what are you on about?" he answers and Stiles frowns as he sits on the edge of his seat.

"This is seat thirty-six isn't it?" he asks, and Derek slowly nods in confirmation still looking like a possum caught in headlights.

Luckily his phone goes off at that minute and he quickly grabs it, hoping it's Scott and he damn well expects a good answer for his sudden ditching and-

_You're supposed to be in seat sixty-three, moron._

Oh.

"Well, um, looks like this is my mistake," Stiles mutters and he looks up to give Derek and apologetic look before glancing around to find Scott, ignoring his phone as it went off again, "and I am very sorry for having to grace you with my presence but…"

He trails off when he spots just _who_ is sitting on the other side of the empty seat beside Scott and he glances down at his phone.

 _Stay exactly where you are_.

"Shit," he mutters before shaking his head, "nope shit, no this is shit, shit shit _shit_ -"

"Stiles, what the fuck," Derek hisses, and Stiles looks up to see everyone around them staring at him and he offers them all a forced grin.

"Sorry," he apologises before turning to Derek, "I need to stay here."

"What? No. Isn't Scott here for you somewhere?"

"Yes, but, ah, but so is…" he trails off before he suddenly points up at Scott and he watches as Derek follows his finger with his gaze, "so is my ex. The guy who's sitting on the other side of the spare seat."

Derek silent for a second before he frowns and says, "the one that looks like a lizard?"

Oh wow, Stiles can't even hold back his snort of laughter. "Yeah," he sniggers, "that one."

"Awful taste really."

Stiles just nods his head in agreement because yeah, yeah it was awful taste. Not that anyone blamed him. Matt had stalked him since the start of senior year and all the way to college, which still scared Stiles a bit, and Stiles had ended up going out with him because really? Who was he to turn his nose up at a guy who seemed to genuinely liked him?

Turned out Matt just thought he'd be a good sex machine, and Stiles had literally had to get his father to step in so he could actually break it off with the abusive bastard.

It seems like he's said that out loud as Derek's eyebrows are basically in his hairline and his glare is actually pretty scary if Stiles was honest as he glares up at Matt.

"Yeah, you're staying here," he declares and Stiles lets out a sigh of relief as he sinks down into the chair. 

It's only a couple of second later that he registers that he's sitting in an empty chair and, "Derek? What about the person sitting here?"

Derek just waves his hand though. "She left," he says and his voice is quite harsh, making Stiles frown.

"Was…" he takes a breath, "was she a date?"

Derek surprisingly laughs and shakes his head. "Apparently," he snorts, "Laura set me up. Turned out to be the girl beside me on the plane and she didn't take to seeing my face again very well."

Stiles opens his mouth to reply, but the only thing that comes out is a little squeak of, "what girl?"

"Don't play dumb," Derek groans, "I hate it when people do that. It's not attractive," and then he turns his gaze to Stiles and there's a smirk on his face, "I saw you watching me. You know what girl."

"I…" Stiles starts and considers lying but instead he just give a sheepish grin, "yeah I noticed her getting upset. What'd you say?"

Derek shrugs and slumps in his chair. "Told her to stop being fake and I'm wasn't going to piss my money up against the wall by dating her, and that I had no interest in having her sink her talons into me," he said like it was nothing important, "she was more interested in my money and my name than me as a person."

Stiles sits for a minute, trying to figure out what to say, ranging from 'harsh, man' to 'you actually have feelings?' but he finally settles on "you _do_ have a name in the public arena?"

"Course I do," he snaps back, "I'm a writer of a bestselling series not to mention one of the founders of HL Publishing House. You think I don't?"

"What? You are?" and Stiles admits he deserves the glare he gets, "what series?"

Derek stares at him for a moment, probably trying to evaluate how _stupid_ he is before he groans and shakes his head. "You're a moron," he says, "I wrote the _Vision of the Dying_ series."

Stiles eyes go wide and he leans forward. "You're kidding," he breathes, "you wrote the bestselling series that's come in number one for the past six years?"

"So you've read them?"

"Nope," and Stiles sits back with a grin at Derek's confused look, "they're sitting on my shelf at home. I don't like to read books until the entire series is out, and considering the last one only came out last month, I haven't really had time." He pauses before he leans forward with a devilish grin, "and they just look so big and I don't know if I'm ready for that kind of commitment yet."

Derek snorts so loud that the elderly couple behind them both shush them, extremely loudly, Stiles notes, cause that's not counter productive at all, and Stiles finds himself dissolving into giggles.

"Don't say shit like that," Derek chokes out after a moment, and Stiles looks up to see him laughing as well and for some reason that makes his stomach flip a bit in warmth.

They fall into a companionable silence, and Stiles checks the time to see they've only got another couple of minutes before the play starts, and he decides to look around the theatre instead. He catches his fathers eye at one point, and he can't help but a smile a bit when both him and Melissa send thumbs up his way and John pulls a rude gesture in Matt's direction. He has to admit, he absolutely loves his family sometimes.

He frowns.

"Derek," he quietly says, "isn't today the tenth year anniversary?" The way Derek instantly stiffens beside him is enough of an answer. "Why are you here?"

There's a heavy silence for a moment before Derek sighs. "Laura wanted me to get out, to have some fun. She's decided that from now on we're going to have fun on all the anniversaries and birthdays, and that ten years of moping is enough."

Stiles hums in acknowledgement before he turns to Derek with a small smile, "I get that," he says, and Derek cocks his head to the side in question, "back when my mom died? I was seven, and I blamed it on myself. It was more of a survivors guilt," he purses his lips, "well I know that now. But back then I was heartbroken. I mean, how is a seven year old supposed to get their head around the fact that their mom has died?" and Derek smiles almost bitterly as he nods along, "I didn't really want any reminders of her, because it just _hurt_ so much to know how unfair it was that I was alive and she wasn't."

He pauses briefly, surprised to see Derek watching him intently, and he gives him a small grimace.

"When she was in hospital she used to run her fingers through my hair, all the time. It was like some sort of comfort thing I think, but after she died I couldn't deal with my long hair. Every time I brushed it through with my fingers I could just remember her doing it too. So I stole dad's shaving clippers and shaw off my hair into a buzz cut." Stiles takes a breath as he watches Derek look at his hair with a frown, and he can't help but smile at the confused look. "Obviously it's not in a buzz cut anymore. When I was seventeen Dad came into the bathroom as I was about to do my monthly cut, took it off me and told me that if I cut my hair into a buzz cut once again then he was going to wax my hair off and shine my head till it sparkles."

Derek laughs, and it's only small but it's enough for Stiles to think that maybe he's saying something right.

"He explained to me after that, that just because mom wasn't there physically, doesn't mean she wasn't there at all," he smiles as he reaches up to touch his own longer hair now, "and that she's really everywhere. And even though it hurts to think about her, that's how we get stronger, and that we'd had ten years to be sad for her, and now it was time to _live_ for her." Derek's quiet as he nods along, and Stiles reaches out to gently place his hand under his chin, making him look up, "so I have. I've lived for mom. And you know what my favourite thing to do is to remember her?"

"What?" Derek rasps, and Stiles smiles softly.

"I go out and look at the clouds, because that was her favourite thing to do. She used to take me outside when I was a kid and she would make up shapes, and then she'd relate them to a fairy tale she'd then tell me," and he grins, "my favourite was always Little Red Riding Hood, because I used to love the way mom used to tell the story about how Red defeated the Big Bad Wolf."

Derek sits in silence for a minute once Stiles finishes, and for moment Stiles doesn't think he's going to say anything.

"My mother used to sit me on the veranda at our house," he says suddenly though, "always at night, and she'd point at stars and their formations and tell me the stories behind them all. She used to make up stories as well, or apply fairy tales to them," and then Derek gives him a funny look, a small twist of the lips like a smile, "my favourite was Red Riding Hood, because I loved the way my mother would tell me that the Big Bad Wolf, wasn't so bad after all."

Stiles doesn't know what to say as he sits and stares back at Derek, his mouth open wide as he takes in the information, and he finally offers a giant grin and a "yeah?" just as the lights dim.

He feels Derek shuffle in his seat, their shoulders pumping together, and Stiles can't help but feel warmth spreading from his shoulder to the rest of his body as he thinks of the man beside him.

So, he spends the whole play making comments under his breath, just loud enough for Derek to overhear. By the time they're a quarter of the way through Derek finally snaps from his quiet reserved mood and starts laughing, by half way they're gripping hands as the play gets sadder and Stiles still tries to lighten the mood with his commentary, and by the time they're almost finished Derek is cautiously resting his forehead on Stiles shoulder when he laughs, and his breath ghosts across Stiles's neck.

He leaves the theatre once the play is done and they're finished cheering loudly, and he walks Derek to his car. He watches Derek drive away, and can't help but laugh when he sees Derek with a smile on his normally broody face. 

Stiles leaves with a smile, a warm heart, and the thought that maybe not having a choice, like Melissa said, is a good thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> accidentally picked the wrong seats in a theatre AU.
> 
> Done.
> 
> [list of AUs](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com/post/76998929204/camillamacaulayy-grinchtaire)  
> [my tumblr (if you wanna join me)](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com)


	5. Chapter 5

He knows something is wrong as soon as he opens his eyes.

Mainly because it's only eight in the morning, which is so unusual for him, and he can hear sobbing and without thinking he throws himself out of bed to pound down the stairs.

He hits the living room to see Allison sitting on the ground in front of the sofa, sobbing into her hands, as Scott paces up and down talking furiously into the phone. Melissa and John are crashing around in the kitchen, Stiles notes, but he doesn't care as he takes a few steps forward and sinks down beside Allison.

"Allie," he whispers, getting her attention and ignoring Scott's shaking of the head and vicious hand movements to ' _back off_ ', "what's happening? What's going on?"

She seems too choked up to reply at first but slowly she lowers her hands and sobs, "Laura's gone missing."

Stiles frowns, "what do you mean missing? How is she missing?'

"As in she didn't come home last night," Allison explains, tears still in her eyes but her voice clearer, "and Derek has no idea where she is. She said she was going on a date last night but Derek called the guy and he said she'd been a no show," she glances away to look at Scott and bites her lip.

"Maybe she's just out or something? Forgot to tell Derek?" but Allison shakes her head at his suggestions.

"She _always_ tells Derek."

Stiles has no answers now, no suggestions or anything. He feels a little bit hopeless really as Allison, no longer sobbing thankfully, curls up against him. He holds her tight though as he looks up at Scott.

"Look, we can come over? Seriously, Derek, we'll come over."

Oh, _that's_ who Scott's talking to, and Stiles feels his chest literally ache as he thinks of Derek. He wonders how he is, and of course that's a stupid question because the guy is probably a bloody mess. His last family member having disappeared on the _tenth anniversary_ of their families _death_? Yeah, Stiles can't even imagine how the guy is feeling.

"Right, that's it, you're _not_ fine, and I'm coming right now," Scott's voice carries over to Stiles, and Allison raises her head from Stiles chest to look at her husband in awe, "no, Derek. _Right now_. I'll be there in ten."

Stiles has to admit that when Scott takes control of a situation he's pretty badass, but he ignores it as Scott hangs up and turns to them.

"I'm gonna go stay with him," he informs, and both give weak nods in agreement before Scott's crouching in front of them. "I think it might be better if I just go on my own," he tells Allison, "I don't think he's up for much," and then he turns his eyes to Stiles, "look after Allie for me."

"Course, bro," Stiles agrees with a small smile, "just look after Derek, yeah?"

Scott smiles back and claps him on the shoulder before kissing Allison's forehead, "definitely," he says before he hesitates and frowns. "You're flight out is tonight, right?" he suddenly asks, and Stiles swears because yes, it is, and Scott instantly looks apologetic.

"Don't worry man," Stiles rushes to say before Scott can talk, "you just be there for Derek. I'll be fine. Allie can drop me off."

"I'm sorry," Scott still says as he stands, and Stiles joins him to give him a tight hug, "bitch of a day for this to happen," he finishes and Stiles laughs in agreement. He pulls away with a grin before suddenly Melissa is there and pressing a tin of what Stiles thinks is home baking into Scott's hands.

"Home cooking is good for the heart," John says from behind her, and Melissa nods her head.

"Give him our love. He's welcome here, in fact I _insist_ he comes here," Melissa continues and Scott nods before hugging his mother and patting John on the shoulder as he leaves the room.

There's a moment of silence before Stiles sighs, "bugger."

Nothing much happens for the rest of the day. John leaves to head to the Sheriff's station, and Stiles raises an eyebrow because his Dad's not Sheriff anymore but John just says he's still heavily involved and they'll need extra men to help look for Laura. Stiles smiles at his dad's selflessness, and offers to go with them but it's Allison who asks him not to.

"I need someone here," she says, and Stiles has always admired the way Allison has been blunt, "because I don't want to be alone."

Melissa has work, but she does say she's going to only do half of her shift and come home early in the evening instead of morning and that some people owe her some favours so she'll be okay, and Stiles watches as Allison hugs her tight in thanks.

Then it's just them.

They spend the day packing Stiles's things, Allison insisting she needs something to take her mind off of Laura's disappearance, and Stiles asks if she wants him to cancel his flight and stay longer. He would, without any thought, but Allison shakes her head.

"Your classes start on Thursday, you need to get back," she points out, and Stiles swears because it's true. He hates that his major is demanding their students come back a week earlier than the others, something about the local police academy offering some course of some sort that they've never done before.

It's close to six in the evening when Allison finally starts laughing, and it's only when Stiles throws a handful of muffin batter at her face. They continue to play fight, ducking and diving around the kitchen to avoid the gunk they throw, and Stiles can't help but grin when Allison throws a giant glob and it splatters all over his face. They're absolutely covered in it and laughing madly when they put the muffins in and go their own ways for showers.

It's eight when they realise they need to get Stiles to the airport, and Stiles can't help but feel a bit sad. Melissa isn't due home for another hour, his father had popped in to give him a quick hug before disappearing with the search groups, and Scott still hasn't called to say goodbye. He gets it though, the Hales are definitely more important right now, and Stiles knows he'll be back next month anyway for another five days, but it still sucks.

Allison hugs him tight and kisses his cheek before he gets on the flight, and he offers her a "be good, yeah?" which she laughs at. 

The flight goes quick. The next one drags on a bit, and Stiles scrunches his nose up in distaste at being in cattle class with a woman who babbles on about "Gone With The Wind" like its the Bible and a teenager who Stiles wants to wave a magnet over to see if just his face was covered in piercings or if his whole body was as riddled with them. He does ask if it's a nightmare to go through metal detectors, but the kid just gives him the finger and turns his music up loud enough for Stiles to hear tinny screaming.

He's never moved faster than he does when they land.

He's standing by the baggage claim when his phone goes off, indicating a call, and he luckily spots his suitcase to grab before he answers it, noting it's Scott.

"Scott? You alright?" he frowns as he answers it, already walking away towards the taxicabs, trying to find a spare one amongst the rush of people. Its three in the morning, he thinks, this can't be good.

"Laura's dead," comes a croak from the other side that Stiles recognises as Scott's crying voice, "and Derek's gone missing. We got news from your dad, he found her inside the Hale house, and Derek said he wanted to be alone for a minute. I left the room for twenty minutes, _twenty minutes_ , and he'd climbed out the window."

Stiles has to pull away from the mass of people and find a corner to sit down in because _shit shit shit_. "You have no idea where he is?" he forces himself to ask as he pushes aside the thought that _Laura is fucking dead_. Derek's the important one at the moment.

"No clue. He's literally upped and left," Scott sighs and Stiles drops his head into his hand as he continues, "we think he might be heading back to Cambridge though. Stiles… can you maybe look for him?"

Of course it's up to Stiles to scour a _giant fucking city_ made up of over one hundred _thousand_ people just for Derek. Who probably doesn't want to be found.

"I, yeah, of course," he says instead though, because for some reason Stiles wants to find Derek, and isn't that just the most fucked up thing? 

"Oh god, thank you so much," Scott choruses a few times, but Stiles doesn't absorb it too much.

"What are you going to do with Laura?" he ends up gritting out and interrupting, and he hears Scott instantly sober.

There's silence for a few moments before, "we can keep her at the funeral home for one to two weeks after they do an investigation," Scott finally says, "but it's pretty clear cut by the looks of it. A mountain lion was prowling nearby and Deaton went out to shoot it with a tranquilliser before they took blood swabs from the claws. They're pretty sure that Laura was attacked and managed to drag herself into the house where she… where she died."

Stiles has to force back his own sob, his hand covering his mouth, as the thought of _Laura_ dying hurt and alone in the husk of the house her own family had been burnt to death in sinks in to his head. He wonders if she thought of Derek in that moment, then berates himself because she most definitely would've.

"Fuck, Scott," he gasps out, and there's a shaky humourless laugh on the other end, "we… Laura… we never got to catch up," and he knows its such a stupid thing to say but he can't _think_ right now.

"I know, buddy," Scott whispers though, his voice barely able to be heard, "please, find Derek for us just… just we know he's there at least. And take care of yourself. Come home if you need to. Just… please."

Stiles can't even ask how Allison is doing, and he knows it's rude but he honestly can't. Instead he gives a shaky yes before hanging up and holding the phone between his palms as he drops his head.

"Go home, Stiles," he mumbles to himself, "you can't fall apart in public."

It takes him a moment before he stumbles to his feet. The airport is quieter now, the large crowd gone, and Stiles runs on autopilot as he walks towards the doors to find a taxi.

There's still a handful around, most of them with people in them, and he ends up going to one midway down. He doesn't even check if anyone's in there, doesn't even acknowledge the driver at first, and instead he opens the door, throws in his suitcase and climbs in.

"Ah, sweetie? It's sort of occupied," he hears, and he glances up to see the lady looking at him with a small smile, and she looks sympathetic. No wonder, he thinks, it is three in the morning, She's probably use to people looking dead on their feet.

"Oh, ah, sorry," he says, and he starts to back out as he turns to the passenger, "and sorry, man, I didn't…" he trails off as his eyes widen.

_Thank God_.

"Derek!" he cries, and he doesn't care that it's Derek's taxi as he practically lunges forward. The guy looks at him, a sort of possum in the headlights look, but he doesn't reply. 

"Do you know each other?" the taxi driver asks, and Stiles gives a shaky nod before turning back to Derek.

"How could you run off like that?" he can't help himself from asking, "god. Everyone's so worried for you. Scott's practically in _hysterics_ , why are you here? Shouldn't…" he trails off as Derek looks down at the ground and a lump appears in his throat as he sees Derek's eyes are red.

_Shit_.

"Oh, _Derek_ ," he breathes, and this is such a huge change from the Derek from last night, the Derek that had been smiling and laughing and _happy_. He wants to reach out and touch him, but his hand just hovers awkwardly in space as he chews the inside of his cheek in thought.

"I…" the taxi driver suddenly interjects, "I don't want to interrupt, but what's happening?"

Stiles goes to say something but Derek suddenly speaks up and tells the taxi driver to take them wherever Stiles is going first, and Stiles winces at the rough sound, at how Derek sounds broken, and he opens his mouth to say something, anything, when Derek sits back except he instantly looks out the window, leaving Stiles to just gape at the back of his head.

Slowly he closes his mouth, pursing his lips and looking at the floor of the car as it lurches and takes off, the driver calling back once to ask where Stiles wants to go and he names Ellsworth Park. The cabbie just nods before leaving them to their own devices and Stiles to grit his teeth and clench his hands.

Because, in reality, what can you say? What _do_ you say to a guy who's sister has just _died_ and he's left alone? A guy you've only met four times and hardly even know? 

But Stiles can't help but think about what to say over and over again like a broken record as buildings rush past, as the indie music from the stereo the cabbie has on goes in one ear and out the other.

_What do you say to a man who's alone_?

Because Stiles can tell he is. There was obviously no one to pick him up, not a friend or family member or anything, he's reduced to a cab ride and that makes Stiles ache a bit. Laura had been his last living relative, and now she's gone and…

He bites his lip as he reaches out to touch Derek's forearm, his fingers curling around the suit jacket and holding tight. He feels Derek stiffen beneath his palm, his arm muscles tensing up, but Stiles doesn't remove his hand.

It's only when the cab comes to a halt and the driver calls out "Ellsworth stop," that Stiles finally feels Derek relax fully, his arm becoming limp under Stiles's touch, and Stiles offers a small smile when Derek glances his way.

He opens his mouth, about to say something, but Derek's eyes widen and he looks away as he moves his arm out from under Stiles hand and that's it, he's back to being isolated.

Stiles tries not to be hurt.

Instead he grabs his suitcase and lugs it out the door with a grunt before turning to the passenger window.

"How much?" he asks, and the cabbie rattles off a number that Stiles doesn't absorb as he hands her a couple of twenties. It seems to be enough as the she holds out some coins as change that Stiles shakes his head at. "How much for him?" he continues and this time she raises an eyebrow.

"Roughly another tenner. He's not far from here."

Stiles nods his head before dipping his hand back into his pocket and pulls out said amount before taking the coins. "Make sure he gets there okay?" he asks, knowing it's sort of ridiculous but she smiles at him and gives him a nod, her eyes kind and somehow knowing.

He smiles back, even though it feels forced, before he turns to close the back door, lingering once as he stares at Derek and he bites the inside of his cheek. This is probably the last time he'll see him, he thinks. Cambridge is bigger than Beacon Hills, big enough to only see a person maybe once _ever_ , and he doubts he'll ever see Derek back in their hometown ever again now. He'll tell Scott he's here though, and Scott'll probably fly over, but that's all Stiles _can_ do. 

He sighs.

"Goodbye, Derek," he finally manages to croak out, and he waits for a reply that won't come. He bites down a small sob as he gives a bitter smile and closes the door.

He holds in the tears until he lugs his suitcase all the way up the steps to his room and Isaac is there to hug him tight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> got into the wrong car AU.
> 
> Done.
> 
> (I misread this originally as cab instead of car, but I was already half-way through writing the chapter when I noticed.)
> 
> [list of AUs](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com/post/76998929204/camillamacaulayy-grinchtaire)  
> [my tumblr (if you wanna join me)](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com)


	6. Chapter 6

Stiles can't stop staring at the suitcase in front of him, wondering if it'll catch on fire if he glares at it long enough. Maybe then he won't have to worry about returning it if it's nothing but a pile of ash on the ground.

Considering who it belongs too? Yeah, that train of thought makes him wince.

The door crashes open and he watches as a bedraggled Isaac comes barreling in, eyes wide and practically crazed, and Stiles lifts his hand to give him a wave as he flies past.

"Morning Isaac," he calls over his shoulder, and he gets a grunt in reply. It makes him grin, despite his situation, because at least Isaac is still a constant mess in his life.

He groans as he forces himself to stand up, glaring once more at the suitcase, before he makes his way to the kitchen.

"Want a cuppa?" he calls out as he flicks the jug and starts rattling around for the coffee and hot chocolate. Personally he hates coffee, but with a spoonful of chocolate it's not too bad. He doesn't get a reply though, and as soon as he places the tins down he turns to the corridor with a frown.

Luckily he's saved from shouting as Isaac crashes into the kitchen, a grin on his face as he hoists up his backpack and what looks like his entire collection of university books, before all but shouting, "yes! Please! God, I need caffeine like you wouldn't believe."

Stiles gives him a once over with a raised eyebrow before he turns to the mug holder and lifts two off as he asks, "in a rush or something?"

"I have an engineering exam in," Isaac pauses and glances over at the clock hung precariously on the wall, "an hour, give or take. Shit."

Stiles laughs as he scoops out powder into the mugs, "you realise it's a twenty minute walk to MIT right?"

"Yeah, Jackson's picking me up," Isaac explains as he crashes onto one of the stools and places his elbows on the bench, his head in his hands, "thank god, otherwise I wouldn't be able to make it, I swear, I'm too tired."

Stiles frowns as he finishes stirring before turning to place the mug in front of Isaac, cupping his own with his palms. "Why didn't you leave from his place?" he asks before he takes a sip, eyebrows knotted together.

"Because I wasn't at Jack's last night?" Isaac replies slowly, as if Stiles is brain damaged, before he takes his own sip, groaning indecently.

"Where've you been for the past two days then? I thought you were have some sort of crazy sex marathon."

The look Isaac gives him makes him torn between laughing into his mug and wincing in fear. Seriously. The kid has one hell of a deadly glare when he wants too.

"I was with my brother," he says after a moment, and Stiles rolls his eyes at himself because of course, Isaac had said that before Stiles had left for Beacon Hills.

"For two days?"

"I'm going back tonight," Isaac continues as if Stiles hadn't spoken, "and I might be there for the rest of the week. His, well someone close to him died. I don't particularly want to leave him now but I do have to take this exam."

Stiles smiles sadly down into his mug, "yeah? Allison's best friend died the other night as well. On a death anniversary as well. It sucks."

Isaac hums quietly in acknowledgement, "were you close to her?"

"Not me personally. But she was a friend, and I did get to know her well at their wedding a couple of years ago." Stiles offers Isaac another small smile, "lets say I will be shedding tears over her though."

Isaac raises his mug, and Stiles gently taps it with his own. They silently drink together for the next ten minutes, Isaac staring intently at one of his books while Stiles looks at the clock. It's midday when they've both finished, and Stiles takes their mugs to wash at the sink right when there's a knock at the door.

"It's unlocked!" Isaac bellows, making Stiles almost jump out of his skin, and he hears the front door open right before Jackson is suddenly looming in the doorway. Stiles turns to watch the two with a raised eyebrow, just in time for Isaac to make grabby hands and Jackson let out a long suffering sigh.

"Wow," Stiles comments, "way to be a good boy toy, Whittemore," and Jackson pulls the finger at him as he leans in to kiss Isaac. Stiles snorts at the gesture, how mature, and turns back to the living room. He's not a voyeur, and if he knows Jackson and Isaac then he _knows_ they won't be sticking to just PG.

Sure enough he hears a moan from the room as he flops back down on the couch, and he winces as he raises a pillow to suffocate himself with.

"For gods sake!" he shouts first, "get a room!"

"We have a room!" Jackson calls back before a sharp giggle, _a giggle_ , cuts him off and Stiles groans because he does not want to hear Isaac _giggling_.

"The kitchen does _not_ count! Isaac! Go to your exam!"

The sound of rustling distracts him from the urge to strangle himself, luckily, and Stiles glances over in time to see a red Isaac pulling a grinning Jackson into the living room, a "yes mom" being gritted out through his teeth, and Stiles wants to blind himself as Jackson pinches Isaac's ass.

"Not in the houuuuuse," Stiles complains, and Jackson sends him a saucy wink.

"Don't be jealous, Stilinski, you'll get some one day."

He snorts and buries his face into the pillow, trying to block out the two morons he doesn't like to think of as friends, particularly in this circumstance, but he can't help but notice when it falls dead quiet. It stays like that for easily ten seconds, something Stiles considers a record, before Isaac calls his name gently.

"Hmm?" he offers as he lifts the pillow to peek at Isaac, frowning when he sees him just standing in front of the suitcase.

"Why do you have Derek's suitcase?"

It takes almost a full minute before Stiles is sitting bolt up right and staring at Isaac with a open mouth. "How do you know Derek?" he demands, and he watches Isaac look up at him with wide eyes.

"How do _you_ know Derek?"

"I asked first!"

Stiles can see Isaac's exasperated glare, and it makes him smile because clearly the guy knows him if he doesn't argue, before he steps forward and says, "he's my brother. Well, adopted brother."

Silence reigns for a bit.

" _What_ ," Stiles practically screeches, and he doesn't miss the way Jackson tugs Isaac a bit closer, " _Derek bloody Hale is your brother_?"

"Calm down, crazy," Jackson tries to sooth, but Stiles just glares at him hard enough to silence him.

"Why didn't you tell me!"

"How was I supposed to know you know Derek!" Isaac argues back, "which you still haven't told me how!"

"That guy? On the plane? The one I told you I was sitting beside? That was Derek."

Isaac stares at him for a bit, eyes wide before he frowns as he murmurs, "so, when you said Allison's best friend…"

Stiles instantly calms, not surprised that Isaac had jumped to the conclusion. "Laura," he says quietly before he steps forward and hugs Isaac tight. "It was Laura. She was Allison's best friend." It doesn't surprise him when Isaac hugs him back, and he bites down on the inside of his cheek as he realises this poor guy has been looking after _Derek_ for the past two days. 

They pull back after a moment and Isaac gives him a wobbly grin, "I didn't even know they knew each other. I mean, Laura talked about her best friend all the time but never said her name, just Allie? She did say that next time she came up she'd bring her too."

"How come you never went to see Laura when you were with me?"

"Laura was always conveniently up here seeing Derek. I knew she lived in Beacon Hills, but it was like some sort of joke that she always managed to miss me," Isaac smiles, "I love Laura, she's great. Well, _was_ great."

Stiles feels his heart lurch a bit at the thought and he reaches out to pat Isaac's shoulder as he asks, "how'd Derek adopt you?"

Isaac grins and laughs bitterly, "I was fifteen and sitting on the side of the road. I'd just done a shady batch of crack and was a fucking mess. That's the thing about some kids in the foster system, they get moved around and fucked over so much they just end up a mess," his smiles turns genuine though as he looks at Stiles, "but Derek found me and took me home. He got me cleaned up, gave me a lecture on drugs and he began to teach me to deal with my anger. Fast forward three weeks and he was applying for my adoption."

Stiles nods along to the story, letting it sink it, before he frowns, "wait, fifteen? That means that Derek would've been… only twenty?"

"Great math skills, Stilinski," Jackson snorts, and Stiles flips him the bird as Isaac hits him.

"Yeah, he got into a bit of trouble over that. The courts weren't too thrilled about him being so young and wanting to adopt, but the foster agency backed him up enough that he got custody of me. We ended up packing up and moving here from Chicago as soon as the paperwork went through and the courts confirmed him as my legal guardian."

Something clicks in Stiles. "So _you're_ the reason he quit doing the anger management job."

Isaac laughs, "yeah, I sometimes think that. But he wasn't happy with his job anymore either. He officially quit when he was twenty-two and decided to publish his books and do business. Don't ask why, it was completely off the charts."

Stiles wants to keep talking, ask some more questions, but Jackson is suddenly leaning forward and reminding them of Isaac's exam in twenty or so minutes, and Isaac is paling as he pushes Jackson out the door.

"I was gonna say that I'd drop off his suitcase," he calls as he pauses by the door, "but I won't have time to do it? Do you mind? He has an apartment on Langdon street, at Chestnut Hill, apartment thirteen! You'll see it on the complex list with everyone's names in the lobby!"

Stiles doesn't even have time to agree or disagree before Isaac is out the door, not that he can ever speak as he stands staring with his eyes wide and mouth hanging.

"Dammit Isaac," he hisses too himself as he moves to the kitchen to finish the dishes. He doesn't actually know what he's the most angry about really, being lumped with dropping off the suitcase he'd awkwardly stolen or the fact that it's Derek's who literally lives _five minutes away_.

Probably the latter. He would've had to have dropped it off anyway.

He procrastinates as much as he can. He washes dishes, scrubs the bathroom, cleans the lounge and drinks close to four hot chocolates before tipping out the last of the fourth because it's just _too_ sweet. Of course it's after that does he realise he's got nothing else to do, so he sucks it up and drags the suitcase down to his Jeep and loads it into the passenger side.

It's only when he's standing outside the apartment complex, suitcase at his feet and hand poised to pull open the door, does he realise that he's about to see Derekagain. As in _Derek_.

"Suck it up, sweet cheeks," he snaps to himself before he goes to pull open the door. 

Of course it's right then when he hears footsteps and a hesitant "Stiles?", and he squeaks as he looks over to see non other than Derek standing at the bottom of the steps and looking at him like he's some sort of alien.

"D-Derek!" he stutters back, feeling beyond flustered as he flails around to crash down the stairs, only stopping when Derek takes a step back from him, "w-what are you doing here?"

"I live here."

"Right, yes, right," and Stiles feels humiliated as he stands in front of Derek, his face bright red and mouth feeling awfully dry. He takes a look at Derek, trying to be subtle, and he has to force himself not to wince at how he looks practically grey, his eyes dark and red-rimmed, his face drawn and hollow. He wants to step forward and cup it, to push his own warmth into Derek's skin, but he doesn't as he just stands with his hands hanging uselessly by his sides.

The tension in the air is literally thick enough to cut, and Stiles glances down at the ground trying to think of something to say.

"Derek…"

"You called Scott," Derek interrupts, his voice accusing, "and told him I came home."

Instantly Stiles is on the defence, frowning as he stares at Derek. "Of course I did," he snaps, "everyone was worried about you. Not many people just up and leave after… after-"

"Their sister _dies_ ," and Derek spits the words like poison, hard enough for Stiles to flinch, "just say it, Stiles, just say the words. _Laura is dead_."

"Derek-"

"Why are you here!" he suddenly snarls, and Stiles trips on the stairs as Derek steps forward, "why can't you just leave me alone!"

"I… your suitcase-"

"I don't care about a fucking suitcase, Stiles!" and Derek's eyes are literally mad as he towers over him, "I don't care if your excuse is golden and pure and completely fucking innocent, _I don't care_. I just want to be alone, _left_ alone, for gods sake why can't you all just _fuck off_."

Stiles feels fury building up in his chest. He had _not_ asked for any of this!

"I didn't come here asking for trouble, Derek."

Derek's laugh is sharp and cold. "Of course you didn't," he sneers.

"I haven't done anything-"

"You called Scott!" Derek yells, and Stiles is thankful no one is around to witness this, "you called him and told him where I was! Do you have any idea how much effort it took to tell him not to come here to see me? I won't be surprised if he ignores me and comes anyway! I don't want him here, Stiles, I don't want him or Allison, _especially Allison_ , here! I barely want Isaac here, and you? You, I _definitely_ don't want."

Stiles literally feels that like a blow, and he finds himself staggering backwards to fall on his ass as Derek storms forward.

"So just _fuck off_ , Stilinski," he snarls in his face, and then he surges past him, pausing to grab his suitcase before he's throwing open the door.

"Derek!" Stiles can't stop himself from calling out, and he watches as Derek pauses with his hand tightening into a fist on the door handle.

He has a moment to wonder if what he's going to say is a bad idea before he takes a deep breath and turns on the stairs to look up at Derek.

"I'm sorry," he says, and he realises his voice sounds broken, "I'm so sorry."

Derek's eyes soften for a moment, just a moment, and Stiles can't help but wonder if he'll say anything at all, but the moment is shattered as Derek snorts.

"Aren't we all?"

Then he's gone, the door slamming shut behind him, and Stiles curses Isaac as he drops his head into his hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> took the wrong luggage AU.
> 
> Done.
> 
> [list of AUs](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com/post/76998929204/camillamacaulayy-grinchtaire)  
> [my tumblr (if you wanna join me)](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com)


	7. Chapter 7

It's not fair really, Stiles thinks, that it's beautiful and Spring when he's feeling miserable and stupid. Sure it's raining, heavy enough that he needs an umbrella but light enough that the sun is still out and shining, and Stiles actually feels bitter and angry as he stands outside the coffee shop watching the rain glide down with the sun behind it, making the drops of water twinkle as they fall.

"Bad day, Stilinski?"

"I hate you," he automatically replies as he turns to glare at Jackson, and, despite being friends with the guy, he wants to punch him in the face. 

Jackson looks sympathetic though as he steps forward and ruffles Stiles's hair. "Isaac told me about what happened with Derek," he explains as Stiles bats his hand away, "that really sucks."

"I didn't agree to meet up for coffee just to get a sympathetic vote from you," Stiles snaps back as he collapses his umbrella and moves into the doorway, "hell, that's why I agreed to meet up with you."

"Because you didn't think I'd be sympathetic?"

"You're reputation as an asshole precedes you," Stiles points out and Jackson grins as he moves to follow him. Stiles leads them both inside and over to the counter, thankful that there's a lack of crowd, before he crashes over the bench with Jackson beside him, flashing the barista a giant grin as he goes to open his mouth.

"A hot chocolate and flat white," Jackson orders before Stiles can say anything, "and a mochaccino with extra chocolate to takeaway in, say, half an hour?"

Stiles stares at him for a minute, but Jackson just grins at him as the barista nods and writes it down. He leaves Jackson to pay, he had offered earlier, and he meanders over to the sugars to pick some up for the table.

One of the other baristas is standing there, stocking up the baskets, and Stiles pauses beside her with a huge grin.

"Hey," he greets, and she gives him a small smile, "how you doing?"

She's pretty he thinks as he looks at her. Big eyes, long hair, cute smile. He doesn't actually listen to her though when she replies, and he knows he'll feel terrible later, but she just… lacks something?

She's giving him a pointed look, he realises, and he trips over his words as he stutters out a "sorry! I wasn't listening, could you repeat that?"

"Stilinski! Stop mucking around!" 

He groans at Jackson's voice, and gives the girl a smile, to which he only gets a roll of the eyes and he swears under his breath, before grabbing a handful of various kinds of sugars and turning to stomp over to his friend, throwing said handful of packets onto the table and himself into a chair.

"Way to kill it," he grouches, and Jackson snorts and reaches over to flick his hand off the sugar.

"Like you'd ever get with that," he says as he drags the packets closer to him and begins to roll one in between his fingers, using his other hand to count out the few he wants.

They fall silent as they wait for their drinks to arrive, both seeming to be lost in their own little worlds. Stiles's eyes follow the girl as she moves back behind the counter, and he catches her eye to give her another smile. It doesn't surprise him to see her look away, not flustered but just awkward. He'd been rude before, that wasn't exactly a good impression.

"You know, you still haven't given me the best friend talk," Jackson suddenly pipes up, and Stiles turns to him with a raised eyebrow, wondering where on early that thought had come from.

"For Isaac?" he asks, and Jackson gives him a look.

"No, for Scott, obviously," he snaps back, "of course for Isaac, you idiot."

"Oh, sorry," Stiles starts sarcastically, annoyance building up, "how's this? If you're not good to Isaac I will personally skin you alive and wear said skin as a coat to defeat my enemies with, you giant dickhead."

Jackson snorts, and really the guy shouldn't do that so much, it's not attractive, before he reaches out and shoves Stiles's shoulder. "So imaginative," he jeers, and Stiles reaches out to smack him over the back of the head.

They're interrupted by someone clearing their throat as the barista wanders over and places their mugs down, hot chocolate for Stiles and flat white for Jackson, and informs them the mochaccino will be read when they leave. Jackson just nods before he turns to his mug, and Stiles watches as he empties four packets in there. He wants to make a comment about diabetes, but he holds his tongue as he takes a sip of his liquid paradise. 

"We've come a long way since high school," he eventually muses, and Jackson looks up at him with a smile, and Stiles can't help but grin at his frothy moustache as he picks up a napkin and lobs it at the guy.

"I guess once Lydia decided to move to France to follow her dreams of wrecking havoc on their fashion system we really had nothing to fight about."

Stiles raises an eyebrow as he says, "besides the fact you were the giant cock-"

"I _have_ a giant cock."

"-who's highlight of each day was to ruin my life," and he desperately ignores Jackson's comment for another sip because _ew_. He does _not_ want to think about Jackson's dick.

"Think about it, at least you were the highlight of my day."

Stiles laughs, "I always knew you were gay," and Jackson rolls his eyes dramatically.

"I'm not gay. I dated Lydia for gods sake," he points out before raising his own mug with a smug smile, as if he's just proven a point and won the case. Bastard's trying to be a lawyer, Stiles thinks, he should know that's not enough evidence. _He_ had been in love with Lydia for years, and now look at him?

"Oh? So what's Isaac?" he asks, and watches as Jackson groans into his drink, "an impressively manly looking girl?"

"I'm not gay… I'm Isaacsexual," and Stiles chokes on his drink hard enough for Jackson to reach over and belt his back a couple of times.

"Oh god," he chokes out once he gets his breath back, "don't ever say that again, I think I just threw up," Stiles groans as Jackson just laughs at him, "wait till I tell Scott that Jackson Whittemore is a sappy homo."

"He'll just show Allison and they'll coo over my adorable manliness," he sniggers with a wink, "and how great I am at being a fantastic boyfriend."

"They'll think you're a flowery girly git," Stiles cackles, "didn't you ever wonder why Allison wanted you to be one of her bridesmaids?"

"So I could out stun Lydia in that dress? Because I definitely would've rocked it. The blue would've matched my eyes."

"It was _green_ , you uncultured swine."

"Still would've been the hottest."

"Yes, you would've been the Belle of the ball," and Stiles thinks that it goes to show how far they really have come from high school when Jackson just laughs and raises his mug in toast. 

They continue to drink in silence for a bit longer, Stiles just mulling Jackson over in his head. He still thinks it's a bit of a shock really that they're friends now, especially consider Jackson had had it out for both Scott and Stiles when they were at Beacon Hill High, something about Lacrosse and Scott suddenly getting better at it, followed by his obsession over thinking Stiles was suppling Scott with steroids. Stiles stills laughs at Scott's reply of "my mom does the shopping" when Jackson had asked him where he got his "juice".

Of course it'd been Allison who'd stopped that all though when she'd stepped in and explained that Scott was putting his anger into the game, and it seemed that Jackson deflated after that and seemed willing to have a truce.

Then he'd turned up in Stiles's history class at Uni, started dating Isaac, and after one particular awkward morning where Stiles had walked in to see a half naked and barely awake Jackson making Isaac and himself coffee, well, Stiles has to admit Jackson's been a good friend ever since.

"When do you have class?" he finally asks, and Jackson glances down at his watch before pursing his lips and answering.

"Half an hour," he says, "but Deaton's always late, so maybe forty-five minutes."

Stiles nods before he hides his grin behind his mug as he asks, "will Isaac be sneaking in to give you a blow job in this class?"

It's glorious to watch Jackson choke on his drink before coughing out, "he told you about that?"

"Of course he did," Stiles laughs with a cheeky grin, "we're best friends. He tells me _everything_."

Jackson snorts, and _seriously_ , "what else do you do? Sit around and braid each others hair?"

"Neither of us have long enough hair to do so, moron," Stiles mutters into his cup.

"You could get extensions," he suggests and grins at Stiles's glare, not even flinching when Stiles kicks him in the knee, before continuing to answer the question, "and no, he's not this time. He's studying down at the library."

"That's a shame," even though it's really _really_ not, "I'm fairly sure the guy was happy for the rest of the day knowing he'd managed to give you a blow job in secret. I think he has an exhibitionist kink or some shit," and he shakes his head at Jackson's sudden smirk, "that does _not_ mean you can have sex around the house in front of me!"

Jackson shakes his head at Stiles declaration before saying, "everyone knew."

"What?"

"Everyone knew. Jeez. It's not like you can hide anything from Deaton," and Jackson seems to grin into his mug as Stiles stares at him with an open mouth, "and anyway, Isaac's not exactly quiet, no matter how much he tries to be. I'm fairly sure the girl beside me just about had a fit when she looked down and saw Isaac sucking my dick."

"Why didn't anyone say anything?" Stiles almost screeches, and it's mostly out of embarrassment for his friend.

"What can you say? _"Isaac Lahey, please stop sucking your boyfriends dick, it's inappropriate."_ He'd die from mortification, and I know Deaton has a soft spot for him."

Okay, yeah, Stiles is man enough to admit that Jackson's right there, but that doesn't stop him from saying, "you're sick. I should tell him."

"Ha ha. Very funny," Jackson snaps, and Stiles smirks, "it's okay, you'll get your own piece of ass one day too."

"I'd rather have the whole person thanks," he mutters into his mug, which is almost empty he realises with sadness. At least he's still got his mocha to go when he gets up to grab it. He can see the mug waiting on one of those heating rack things the coffeeshop has.

"You're a sap," Jackson scoffs, and Stiles flips him off. 

"You're the asshole dating one of my best friends."

"I'm wounded," he gasps in response, clutching his chest dramatically, "I thought I was your friend too."

"Up until you called Isaac a 'piece of ass'."

"He has a beautiful ass. I like to lick-"

"Stop," Stiles groans, and contemplates his mug to see if the amount of liquid left is enough to drown himself in, "please. For the sake of all that's good, stop."

"Prude," Jackson laughs as he reaches out to kick Stiles's chair, "but you will. Once you leave the house for something that's not classes or a trip to Beacon Hills. In fact, Isaac was telling me about a potential candidate, a rather tall dark and handsome one."

Stiles feels his head go a bit light as he looks up and sees the mocking grin on Jackson's face, and he narrows his gaze. "If you mean Derek, I will punch you," he threatens, but Jackson's grin just get's larger.

"Derek? As in Derek who just walked in?" he asks, and Stiles freezes in his chair.

"What-" he starts, but Jackson is suddenly standing up and _oh holy god_ Stiles sees Derek looking over at Jackson and then his eyes trail to Stiles and _oh holy shit_.

"Gotta run, _Stiles_ ," Jackson hollers as he literally bounces towards the door, "I'll see you later!" and then Stiles watches as he pauses beside Derek at the counter and claps him on the shoulder, and it takes him a minute before Stiles thinks _right_ Jackson is Isaac's boyfriend so of _course_ Derek knows him, before he's out the door and Stiles is left sitting at the table hoping to all high heavens that Derek _doesn't come over_.

No such luck, he realises, as he sees Derek finish ordering, and Stiles tries not to notice the girl he'd talked to earlier having a meltdown over Derek's hotness, before practically have a war with himself. _Then_ he takes two steps over.

"Stiles?" he starts, and Stiles flinches because the last time he heard his name come from that mouth? Yeah, not pleasant memories.

Not wanting to be at a height disadvantage, Stiles stands up and looks Derek in the eye as he nods. "Derek," he says, short and sweet, and he knows there's no warmth in his voice as Derek looks down.

"I, Stiles, I wanted…" he trails off and glances at the counter, and Stiles sort of feels bad for the guy for a moment before he remembers that Derek had _yelled_ at him for no real good reason and his sympathy is gone.

Except it's not, and he knows it's not because he _gets_ why Derek was mad, and he _gets_ why Derek lashed out.

"I wanted to say that, I'm sorry," Derek finally finishes, and Stiles raises an eyebrow at him, "what I did the other day? Yeah, that… that was uncalled for. You were just trying to help, and, um," he pauses and looks down at his hands that Stiles notices he's wringing.

"Derek-"

"Sorry," he interrupts, and he looks up to give Stiles a small smile, "it was usually… it was usually Laura who coached me through apologies."

Stiles sees the way just _saying_ her name effects Derek, and he chews the inside of his cheek before giving Derek a small smile.

"It's okay," he says, and he notices the surprise on Derek's face, "I get it, I understand. When my mom died I was the same. I just wanted to be left alone but everyone was constantly trying to interfere and make sure I was alright," he stops at the wide eyed look on Derek's face and he surprises himself as he steps forward to place his hand on Derek's elbow, "I get it."

He's choked up, Stiles realises after a moment of silence, and he can't stop himself from stumbling forward to give Derek a tight one armed hug. He feels Derek's hands brush his sides lightly, and he registers the attempt at a hug back, before he pulls away and smiles at him.

There's tears clinging to his eyelashes, Stiles notes, and he instantly feels awkward as he turns away. He had no intentions on dealing with this today, not at all, and he sees that both their drinks are on the heating rack so he quickly scoops them up and gestures to the door.

Derek holds their cups as Stiles pops up his umbrella and holds it over their heads. "Where are you going?" he hears himself ask, and he watches as Derek pulls himself together before nodding to the park across from them.

"My car is just over there," he says, and Stiles nods before he reaches out to take his cup and begins to walk in that direction.

Derek doesn't say anything as they walk, but Stiles finds the silence a little too daunting so he chatters away about the weather, bitching about the happiness of the day but commenting on the colours. Derek surprises him once though but quietly saying "spring is my favourite season," and Stiles bumps their shoulders as he offers a small "me too" that Derek gives the smallest twitch of his lips at.

They're at what Stiles thinks is Derek's car in no time, and he stands behind him patiently, covering him with his umbrella, as Derek fumbles with his keys before he clears his throat.

"I'm sorry," he says and Derek looks at him with wide eyes, "for the other day. I turned up unannounced and… well, yeah. And for just now, with my constant talking. I mean, I don't know if you were just humouring me or-"

"Thank you," Derek cuts him off, "for now," then he offers Stiles something that he wouldn't call a smile but definitely isn't as sad as Stiles has been seeing from him, "when you talk? It's distracting, and I think I really need a distraction sometimes."

Stiles frowns, because is that a compliment or what? But Derek just nods at him before he opens his door and slides into his car, leaving Stiles standing on the pavement with his coffee in hand and a frown on his face.

Campus is only a ten minute walk away, Stiles notes as he lifts his cup to drink, and he turns his nose up as the heavy taste of coffee lands on his tongue. Obviously the barista hadn't registered Jackson's order of "extra chocolate".

He shrugs it off though when he notes the number written on the side, followed by _Lily xx_ , and he can't help but smile at the thought that maybe he didn't blow it with the girl

Or maybe it's because he didn't blow it with Derek?

Maybe it's Derek's coffee he's drinking, he thinks as Derek pulls away and he starts walking, but then again why would someone like Derek have something so sweet as a mochaccino?

He sighs as he just holds the cup close and looks up, just in time to see Derek's car drive through traffic lights and disappear around the corner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> takes wrong coffee order AU.
> 
> Done.
> 
> (The AU theme in this was quite minor, and I'm sorry about that. Also super sorry about the mass blob of Jackson/Stiles friendship in here. I love them a bit too much as friends.)
> 
> [list of AUs](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com/post/76998929204/camillamacaulayy-grinchtaire)  
> [my tumblr (if you wanna join me)](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com)


	8. Chapter 8

Laura's funeral is beautiful.

It's bright and colourful, everyone laughs and cries, her martial arts classes all do a performance together in honour of her, Allison holds Derek's hand as they both read out small speeches, and Isaac is pulled into a tight hug by Derek when he cries. Stiles watches from Scott's side, occasionally squeezing his elbow to steady him when Scott whimpers or makes an attempt to walk forward to Allison who's doing _so so_ well, and Scott returns the favour when Stiles finds himself gravitating to Derek. 

He stays at Scott's instead of his fathers this time though. Allison hugs him tightly and curls up beside him on the couch as they drink hot chocolate and watch Laura's funeral sideshow over and over on the couch, and Stiles quietly cries beside Allison until Scott comes home and swamps the two of them with a blanket and his hugs.

"Where's Derek?" Stiles asks after they silently watch two more rounds of the slideshow, and Scott sighs silently.

"With Isaac," he replies as he smiles down at the dozing Allison, her head on his chest and arms wrapped around both him and Stiles, "at Laura's. I asked if he wanted me to stay but he told me to come be will Allison."

"Of course he did," Stiles mutters, and Scott hums in agreement as they both turn back to the flicking screen, and Stiles wonders if the lump in his throat will ever go away as Laura's grin passes over it.

It's well past midnight when Scott finally lifts Allison up to leave her in their room before he comes back out and bids Stiles a goodnight. Stiles says his own in return, and Scott looks heartbroken for a moment, long enough for Stiles to sigh and open up his arms.

"Come on, buddy," he says, and he's not surprised when Scott's breath hitches before he sags in Stiles's arms.

"She was going to be godmother, you know," Scott mumbles against Stiles shoulder, and Stiles feels tears prick his eyes, "she was so excited to be an aunt. She helped Allison pick out colours for the nursery and chose almost every bit of furniture," Scott lets out a broken little laugh and Stiles clings to him even tighter, "she was amazing, Stiles."

"I know," is all Stiles can think to say. They stay in their embrace for a little while longer before Scott lets out a sniff and pulls back.

"I'll see you in the morning, yeah?"

Stiles nods and ruffles Scott's hair, hoping for one of those large goofy grins Scott's known for, but he only get a half attempted one instead before Scott disappears down to his room.

He slumps on the couch almost instantly, and he covers his face with his hands. Happy funeral it may have been, but it doesn't change the fact they just said goodbye to a women they all love dearly.

After another few moments of reflection goes by, Stiles finally decides to get up and move outside onto the veranda. He thinks that maybe some fresh air will do him some good, and as he stands out there he pulls out his phone.

He hovers for a moment over Laura's contact, his eyes stinging uncomfortable for a minute, before he scrolls along down to the very last number on his phone, the one that doesn't even have a contact name and he sighs as he looks at it.

It's the coffee girls number, _Lily_ , the one printed on the side of his cup, and he wonders if it'd be inappropriate to call her? He doesn't know why, but the girl had looked kind and sweet, and he wonders if maybe she'd listen to him? Even if it is well past midnight and she's probably sleeping...

Bad idea or not, Stiles decides he definitely needs a distraction, and so without really thinking much of it he hits her contact number and lifts the phone to his ear.

The gruff " _hello_?" he gets is enough to make him wince, and he _definitely_ knows this was a bad idea.

"Ah, sorry, I, um, yeah, it's _really_ late, and I _don't_ think this is who I was trying to call and-"

" _Stiles_?"

He goes ridged as he hears his name, and he frowns in thought for a minutes before hesitantly asking, "Derek?"

" _How did you get my number_?" and wow if this isn't a plot twist and a half.

"Ah, from a coffee mug?"

There's silence on the other end before Derek's voice crackles over sounding incredibly exasperated, " _do you mean the coffee cup you took the other day that was actually mine because you're a moron and got them mixed up?_ "

"That would be the one!" Stiles cheers in a very fake way, "and I'm guessing I've probably put the number in my phone wrong which has awkwardly left me chatting to you which is, like I said, _awkward_ , so I think that I might just, ah, go? Now? Yeah? Sound good," and Stiles goes to hang up, he really really does.

" _Please don't_."

Yeah, yeah that definitely makes Stiles stop and literally squish the phone into his face.

"W-What?" he stumbles over his words, his hands coming up to run through his hair, "you, ah, want me to stay?"

There's the sounds of static for a long time, and Stiles wonders if Derek's actually hung up on him for a moment, before there's a small sigh and Derek finally speaks, albeit reluctantly, " _I don't want to be alone right now_."

"Well, technically I'm not-"

" _Stiles_."

"Yeah," and Stiles is suddenly breathless, "yeah, okay, I won't go."

The silence that follows is a bit deafening, and Stiles feels more than a bit awkward as he arranges himself to lean against the veranda's rail more comfortably, and he wonders who's going to speak first? He also wonders just why Derek would choose _him_ to keep him company, but then he thinks back to what Derek said in the carpark outside the coffee shop and _oh_.

"So, uh, my history paper?"

There's another crackling of static before Derek breathes a quiet, " _yeah_?"

Stiles smiles slightly before tilting his head up to look at the sky, "I'm comparing and contrasting the Ancient Greek civilisation to the Ancient Roman, picking out the differences and aligning the similarities. It's not recent history per-say, not like the others in the class are doing. They're all focusing on the World Wars and other wars, and civil wars and all that, but my thinking was that I have to do a paper later in the year focusing on the similarities and differences of the Greek and Roman mythology aspects, and I thought that why not do this paper based on them too? It'll get me my pass and it'll help me out towards my other paper," he pauses after that, waiting to see if Derek says anything. But all hears is Derek's irregular breathing, which is enough to know he's still there.

Stiles takes a deep breath before he continues. He talks about the two civilisations, rambles on and on about them and often getting distracted by a trail of thought. He switches back and forth between the Greeks and Egyptians for a short time, focusing on Cleopatra, before he drifts off into the mythology side of things. He babbles on about the celtic myths and gods, followed by the norse, before he drops into tales of mythological beasts, starting with the hippogriff and chattering over how majestic it would've been all the way down to prattling about werewolves and declaring them to be his favourite beast of all. 

The whole time Derek doesn't say a word, but Stiles realises after he finishes his tangent on werewolves that his breathing has slowed down and become more regular.

It strikes something familiar in him.

"Ah, Derek?" he ends up saying, waiting patiently for the answer.

It crackles through after a moment, just a small " _yeah_?" and Stiles frowns as he pushes off from the railing to pace down the veranda.

"Did… Derek, did I just stop you from having a," he pauses and winces at his next words, "from having a panic attack?"

More silence, and Stiles is getting a bit sick of it now, before Derek sighs and gives a short "yeah".

"Oh," and Stiles doesn't actually know what to do with the information as he sags against the house wall and slips down to sit on the wood beneath him, "oh, _Derek_."

There's a short humourless laugh in reply, and Stiles can imagine Derek pushing his hand through his hair, before, "it was nothing serious-"

" _Nothing serious_?" Stiles cuts him off with a scandalised tone, "you are kidding right? Derek, why didn't you tell me!"

"Because I didn't want you to freak out," and there's a very obvious hint in his tone and Stiles winces cause yeah, he's freaking out.

"Sorry," he apologises, "I just… Derek, you should've said something. Freak out or no freak out. Where's… ah, where's Isaac?"

"Sleeping."

"Why don't you go join him? Cuddles might do you good."

He feels himself pick up a bit when Derek gives a short bark of laughter, and while it's not the happiest thing Stiles has ever heard it's still a laugh that's not metaphorically black.

"You think I'm the type for 'cuddles'?"

"You could be," Stiles chuckles back, "tall dark and handsome normally are, right?" He reaches down to pick at a scuffed up piece of wood, digging his nails into the cracks around it, "but seriously, maybe some company?"

"I have you."

Yeah, that shouldn't make Stiles heart thump that little bit faster and his stomach roll pleasantly, but it does and he finds himself speechless. It doesn't last that long though, all he hears from Derek is his heavy breaths, before he finally tries to choke out a word.

"What are you going to do, now?" and that wasn't actually an intentional question, and he wants to take it back instantly but all he can do is listen to Derek's rough inhale and wait for an answer.

"I don't know," Derek finally rasps out after a bit and it makes Stiles wince.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"No, no it's fine," Derek cuts him off, and Stiles thinks he can hear the rasp of a hand trailing over rough stubble, he _might_ just be crazy though, before Derek says, "it's a reasonable question. But I don't know the answer to it."

Stiles realises right then that this is probably the most vulnerable Derek's been for a while. He doubts the man ever tells anyone he doesn't know an answer, it's not… a _Derek_ thing to do, and he wonders for a moment if Derek would answer almost anything he wants to ask? Except he knows he won't, because Stiles doesn't want to ruin anything.

He can't stop himself though from asking, "Derek, are we… are we friends?"

Derek seems reluctant to answer, and Stiles actually feels awful and wants to tell him not to, but before Stiles can say anything he mumbles out a "yeah, I think."

"Really?"

"The only other people I would really consider my friends would be Scott and Allison," Derek explains and Stiles once again picks up at the small amount of humour in his tone, "and judging by the fact that the friendship between those two and myself is based on their inability to _not_ turn up constantly, I would say that yeah, we possibly might be friends."

"I don't constantly turn up in your life!" Stiles argues, "I mean, sure there was the plane, and then the airport, and the mall… and theatre, but-"

"And the cab, and my apartment, and the coffee shop, not to mention this phone call?"

"Okay, those were all by accident!" he insists before frowning, "and so were the others! Everything was an accident. I didn't _mean_ to randomly show up."

Derek's laughing, _laughing_ , Stiles realises, and he can't help but laugh as well at just how ridiculous this conversation is. But it's light, he realises, it's light and comfortable and he doesn't really want it to stop.

"Either way, you are constantly there."

"So that means we're friends?" Stiles snorts, "whoopee."

Derek laughs again before they fall into silence. But it's not awkward this time, not strained and heavy, and Stiles finds himself wrapping an arm around his waist and tilting his head back to look at the sky. It's easily mid morning, he realises, the light oranges and yellows of dawn slowly creeping up to take over the still navy blue of night. There's stars still twinkling, and Stiles watches as the odd one winks out every now and again, and he can't help but smile.

"Are you outside, Derek?" he asks and gets a small questioning hum in reply, "because if you are, you should look at the sky. I think it's the prettiest I've ever seen it."

"I didn't know you were such a poetic sap," Derek replies, and Stiles laughs softly.

"Says the one who writes poetry about girls with hair so sweet, and lips so _tangy_."

"I don't think I've ever used the word tangy," Derek snorts, and it makes Stiles grin, "but you are right. The sky is beautiful."

He wants to make a joke, maybe point out he used the word _pretty_ not _beautiful_ , but he finds the words lodged in his throat and he's sort of thankful. The mood is gentle now, not humorous, and he finds himself taking a deep breath before asking his next question.

"Could you, could maybe read me some?" he quietly asks, and he hears Derek's sharp intake of breath, "some of your poetry?"

He waits, wondering if he should take it back and he's about to when Derek lets out a loud breath of air before saying "yeah."

"I… thank you."

"Don't thank me yet," Derek chuckles back and Stiles hears some rustling of paper before Derek clears his throat,

> "you'll say _i'll give you everything_  
> 
> and it'll blow me away
> 
> and i'll think of your lips
> 
> your eyes
> 
> your smile
> 
> your laugh
> 
> i'll think of it all as i roll in sheets that smell like you
> 
> with my own laugh so rarely heard.
> 
> you'll say _i'll give you everything_
> 
> and i will wait
> 
> with bated breath 
> 
> and a jumpy heart
> 
> as the words will try to come in reply
> 
> bubbling in my throat 
> 
> yearning to leave
> 
> scratching desperately for air.
> 
> you'll say _i'll give you everything_
> 
> and i won't say them back
> 
> those words so true
> 
> i won't be able to murmur them into your sweet skin
> 
> but you will smile
> 
> you will laugh and hold me tight
> 
> and you will lean down
> 
> your lips on my ear.
> 
> you'll say _it's okay_
> 
> and maybe i'll break
> 
> maybe i'll bleed tears
> 
> but you'll never let go
> 
> because to you
> 
> i am _everything._ "

Stiles is speechless, his mouth falling open and closing, and for some reason he feels his eyes welling with tears as he finally manages to croak out, "Derek?"

"Yeah?"

"That…" he can't even think of words to describe it as he raises a hand to pat at his eyes, "that was, I can't… that-"

Derek cuts him off with a gentle laugh followed by a small, "yeah?"

"Yeah," Stiles agrees and gives a short laugh. "Yeah, definitely."

Derek doesn't reply for a long time, and Stiles manages to pull himself together, but when he does his voice hitches on his words, but it's softer than Stiles has ever heard it before.

"It's a terrible day for rain."

Stiles frowns as he glances at the sky, the pure soon to be blue sky with hardly a cloud in sight, with the bright sun peeking out and glimmering in the distance, a promise of warmth.

"Yeah," he finally says, "yeah it is."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eighth Chapter End Note  
> called the wrong number AU.
> 
> Done.
> 
> (Also, sorta sorry about the poem? I just wanted to address Derek's awesome authorness. All my own too. It was painful to write, I'm not a poet. But I hope it was sorta okay? Do you guys think maybe you could give me some feed back on it? Thank you!)
> 
> (Also! Kudos if you got the FMA reference!)
> 
> [list of AUs](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com/post/76998929204/camillamacaulayy-grinchtaire)  
> [my tumblr (if you wanna join me)](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com)


	9. Chapter 9

Remember when Stiles said he's late for practically everything? Yeah, he definitely meant it.

The halls of Harvard Law are still confusing to him though, despite being in his third year and knowing the place like the back of his hand, supposedly. Okay, maybe he doesn't know his hand very well either, but it doesn't matter because _he's running late_.

Or at least he thinks he is?

There's a crowd of people still loitering around outside the classroom when he finally skids to a stop at the top of the corridor, and all the energy seems to leave him when he realises he must've read the table wrong and he's actually on time. For once. He can't help but grin as he trots down the hall, grinning at a couple of people he recognises, and he manages to slip into the middle of the crowd slowly feeding into the classroom.

It's only when he's sat down and Jackson appears in front of him does he realise this _might_ not be his class.

"What are you doing?" he hisses as he moves to slide into the aisle beside him, forcing Stiles to slide down until he's all but sitting in the lap of the girl on the other side of him. He gives her a sheepish smile before turning back to glare at Jackson.

"What am I doing? What are _you_ doing?"

"I'm in my business writing class," Jackson snaps as he lifts up his giant textbook, and for a second Stiles thinks he's going to get hit with it but Jackson drops it with a loud _thud_ , "which you're not in."

"But I'm sure this is-"

"Didn't you read the notices in the quad? Classes have been moved today due to construction in the south wing."

Yeah, no, Stiles hadn't read that and he instantly swears as he starts to pack up his stuff. He _is_ late for his class then, which is no doubt definitely on the other side of campus and _shit_ he's screwed.

On the positive side, those people he recognised? Yeah. Just as screwed.

Jackson's hand on his arm, forcing him to sit down, makes him look up and glare at him. "Are you kidding me right now?" he growls, "I have to get to class!"

"Sit the fuck down, Stilinski," Jackson snarls before gesturing at the front of the class where the teacher has just walked in, "Deaton's here. You can't leave now, he'll strip you down in front of the whole class for disrupting his lesson," he gives Stiles a pointed look, "it's either sit down and shut up, or get dressed down in this class for disrupting _and_ yours for being late."

Stiles swears as he runs his hands through his hair. This is bullshit, absolute bullshit.

"Fuck, Jack," he mutters and he gets a sympathetic pat on his back.

"Writing!" Deaton suddenly bellows, and the whole class falls silent from their humming, "it is the religion of the mind. What one man can write will be pure and perfect to one group, but utterly horrid to another. It can be interpreted in many ways, the same plot can be strung with different words but always end the same, but today? Today is about _business_ writing, and business writing is not a religion," he pauses and his eyes trail over the class, "it is a _science_. For there is only one correct way to write business!"

"Is he on crack?" Stiles mumbles out of the corner of his mouth, and Jackson smacks him over the back of the head as he hisses at him to shut up.

"Now today, I have for you a special guest," Deaton continues on, waving his arms dramatically and Stiles has to stifle a laugh, "one who is both a writer as well as an expert business man. Such a rare combination."

"Pause for dramatic effect," Stiles whispers and the look Jackson gives him is one that would normally make him wriggle uncomfortably but this time it just makes him grin.

"Allow me to introduce, Mr. Derek Hale, and his helper, Mr. Lahey."

Stiles practically swallows his own tongue at the name, and he watches with wide eyes as Derek walks into the room, smiling politely at Deaton as he places his briefcase up on the table at the front of the class. Instantly Stiles is frantically hitting Jackson's arm, hissing his name until Jackson catches his hands and slams them into the desk.

"For gods sake, Stiles," he snaps, "calm the fuck down!"

"It's Derek. _Derek_ , Jackson!" and the girl on the other side of him raises her eyebrow and Jackson gives her a grin as he shakes his head.

"It's the guy he's really into," Jackson murmurs to her, smirking when she just nods her head in understanding and Stiles punches him.

"Are you fucking kidding me? I haven't seen him since-"

"Mr. Whittemore! And Mr. Stilinski!" Deaton's voice suddenly calls out and both freeze in their seats, "might I request the two of you please stop your fighting and move to the front of the class? I'd hate for you to miss out on this important lecture we're having."

The blatant look of 'move or your ass is grass' makes it obvious they're not to argue, and Stiles endures another punch from Jackson before they both slide out of their seats to head down to the front row. Right in front of the desk. That Derek is standing at. Stiles hates everything.

"Ah, Mr. Deaton?" he starts, "I should-"

"Sit."

"Right." He doesn't argue as Jackson pushes him down, and he glares at Isaac when he gives him a little wave. This lesson is literally going to be the most painful in his life.

Derek's watching him, which is actually awful and makes him flush, but there's a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he turns to look over the class. It's the first time Stiles has seen him since the interview, and he has to admit that the man looks nice. His skin looks more pink than the grey he's been seeing, and his eyes are a bit more lively. Not to mention he's wearing one of those fine ass suits Stiles had first ever saw him in, and he wonders if he should be dragging a bunch of buckets in for the drool he'll no doubt feel on the back of his neck from the girls behind him.

"Hello," Derek finally starts, and there's a titter that runs through the classroom, "I'm Derek Hale, you can call me Mr. Hale, and as Deaton said I'm a businessman turned writer."

He turns away from the class and looks at Isaac, who's rattling through his briefcase and hands him a bunch of papers. Derek thanks him before Isaac suddenly scuttles off, and Stiles raises an eyebrow when Isaac presses in beside him with a giant grin.

"Anyone know the first step of business writing?" Derek asks the room as a whole, and no one replies. He sighs as he looks over at Deaton, and Stiles can sort of relate to his 'I hate everyone' look, before he turns back, "let me give you a hint, it has something to do with what I just said."

Once again there's no reply, and Stiles bites his lip as he slowly raises his hand.

"Yes, Mr. Stilinski?" and the way Derek looks at him, humour in his eyes, makes Stiles feel warm.

"Is it to be formal?"

"And what gave you that idea, Mr. Stilinski?"

He's quiet for a moment before both Jackson and Isaac nudge him and he lets out a deep breath, "because you asked us to address you by a formal title, not a casual one? Meaning that in business writing you should always write in a formal tone than a colloquial tone?"

Derek watches him with an appraising eye before he moves closer. "Is that a question, or an answer?"

Stiles opens his mouth, lets it hover for a minute before he raises his chin. "An answer, Mr. Hale."

There's silence for a moment before Derek nods and moves away, "another thing," he says as he goes, "always be certain of your choices. You're writing it down where everyone can see, not saying it aloud where only a few can hear. Writing is a more permanent form of communication. In an essay, do you ever write a question that's not rhetorical? No, you don't, because what is the point of writing an essay you do not know the answer too? And even then, rhetorical question are almost a form of sarcasm, which can be classified as…?" he points at the girl Stiles had been sitting beside previously, and he thinks she almost faints as Derek looks at her.

"C-Colloquial?" she stutters out, and Derek smiles at her as he nods. 

"That's right."

The class goes smoothly after that, and Stiles can't help but admire Derek's teaching skills. He never understood how a class dedicated to writing could be fully interactive, but as he watches Derek asking people to think of question to ask others, picking out groups of three and demanding they create a first paragraph of a business document by only saying one sentence at a time each, making people do various activities like sing the entire alphabet if they get a wrong answer, yeah Stiles can see that having a teacher like _Derek_ can make something like business writing fun.

He's not ignored by any stage, and Derek even picks Jackson, Isaac and himself out to say their own first paragraph and Stiles laughs when they have to play ring a ring o' roses when Jackson screws up. 

Soon enough class finishes though, and Stiles lingers with Jackson as the mass of kids leave the hall with some pausing to talk to Derek. Isaac's packing up Derek's briefcase, shooting them grins every time he pauses, and soon it's only the four of them left in the class.

"Hey Derek?" Isaac pipes up once the door closes behind Deaton, "I'm gonna go get lunch with Jack, you wanna come?"

Derek smiles and hooks Isaac into a brief one armed hug. "I'm good," he says as he rubs his knuckles lightly over Isaac's head before nudging him over to Jackson, "I'm not in the mood for watching tonsil hockey. Just, keep it PG."

Isaac just grins before he grabs Jackson's hand and turns to Stiles, saying "we'll wait outside," with a wink before he bounds out the door. Stiles can't help but smile at Jackson's lost look as he's towed away, but it's quickly wiped away when he realises he's in the room only with Derek.

"Hey," he perks up the courage to say, and Derek looks at him with another small smile, "you're, ah, you're looking good?"

"Is that a question or a statement, Mr. Stilinski?" Derek jokes, and Stiles snorts as he moves forward to lean against the front desk, throwing his bag up on top of it, as Derek moves to erase his writing on the whiteboard.

"That so wasn't fair," he whines, "I don't even take business or whatever this is."

"I didn't think so," Derek replies and he flashes Stiles a look over his shoulder, "whatever happened to a double major in criminal justice and history with a minor in mythology?"

Stiles gapes at him, eyes wide, "you remember me saying that?"

Derek laughs as he moves to stand in front of him. "It's sorta hard to forget," he comments as he taps a finger on Stiles chest, "you kind of don't shut up."

"You like it when I don't shut up," Stiles can't help but retort, but he instantly winces at his words. Is he supposed to bring up their phone call or…? He doesn't know, but going by the guilty look on Derek's face as he drops his hand he'll assume he wasn't.

"About that," Derek starts as he averts his eyes, "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable the other week. That wasn't fair on you."

Stiles wants to hit him, but instead he slowly reaches out a hand and places it on Derek's shoulder. "It's okay," he says and Derek looks up at him with a pinched brow, "seriously. I'm glad you told me to stay on the line. I'm sure Isaac would've been no help, the guy sleeps like the dead, and you definitely needed someone."

"But-"

"Don't argue with me, Derek," Stiles enforces before he raises his hand and gentle knuckle-touches Derek's chin, "really, there's not much of a point. I think anyone can vouch for my stubbornness on these things."

Derek's lips quirk up at that, and Stiles finds himself warming a bit at the gentle look he's given.

"So, lunch?" Derek suddenly offers, and Stiles can't stop himself from grinning as he nods and grabs his backpack. Derek reaches out to grab his own briefcase before opening the classroom door and Stiles thanks him as he walks out, but pauses when he sees Isaac and Jackson loitering at the end of the corridor.

"Forgot about them," he mutters as they start forward, and Derek laughs from beside him.

"Come on then," he says when the two stop uneasily in front of them, "lunch, my shout. Just mouths to yourselves."

Isaac instantly looks excited, grinning at either Derek or the prospect of food, and Jackson groans, "do I have to really spend time with Stilinski?" but Isaac just elbows him in the gut.

"Don't mind Jack," he says as Derek starts to walk and Isaac bounces along beside him, "he's just an asshole."

"Like you can talk," Derek retorts, and Stiles can't help but laugh at the put out look on Isaac's face.

They're in the coffee shop that Jackson and Stiles frequent, the one Stiles had talked to Derek in a couple of weeks ago, and it makes Stiles laugh when both Derek and Jackson all but fight over who gets to go up and order while he and Isaac find a table.

"They're like children," Stiles says, and Isaac laughs as he nods.

"You should see them when it comes to paying for just me," he chuckles, "Derek has the whole 'he's my brother I pay' thing and Jackson is all 'my boyfriend I pay'," he pauses to look at Stiles with a smirk, "now they've got you too. Jackson's probably pulling the best friend card and Derek's probably pulling the love interest card."

If Stiles had a drink, he'd probably choke on that. Instead he settles for air and Isaac laughs as Stiles tries to cough up a lung.

"You're insane," he wheezes out after a moment, and Isaac snorts.

"You should just fuck my brother, it's getting annoying with all this pining."

Stiles sighs as he looks over at the counter to see Derek and Jackson practically roughhousing over the card machine while the barista watches on in amusement. "You know it hasn't exactly been the best of times," he gently chides, but still feels bad as Isaac's face drops.

"Yeah," he mumbles, and Stiles watches as he wrings his hands together, "I just want to see him happy again, you know? Like he is now," and he gestures over at Derek who's looking at them with a grin, "I haven't seen him like this for weeks."

Stiles silently agrees but otherwise doesn't say anything as Jackson leads Derek over, holding a tray and looking exceptionally proud of himself. Derek's still smiling though, and Stiles can't help but smile back as he pats the chair beside him.

Of course then he notices the takeaway cup and he frowns up at Jackson.

"Not mine," he says as he hands Stiles his hot chocolate, "I don't drink mochas."

Oh, so it _had_ been Derek's coffee he'd taken the other week. Oops.

"I just got a call from the office," Derek explains as he grabs both the takeaway mug and the paper bag from off the tray and gives them all an apologetic smile, "apparently I'm expected in for a meeting with the head of the company, so I have to run," he reaches over and ruffles Isaac's hair, "so another time for lunch, yeah?"

"Sure," Isaac quickly says and grins at him, "see you tonight though?"

Derek just nods before he turns to look at Stiles, "sorry," he says quietly, but Stiles just waves his hand and smiles at him.

"No problem," he laughs, "maybe next time we'll have lunch without dumb and dumber here."

Despite Isaac's scandalised "hey!" Derek nods and gives Stiles a grin as he ruffles Isaac's hair again, pushes Jackson out of his seat before pausing by Stiles seat.

"Another time then," he mumbles as he swoops in and presses a gentle kiss to Stiles's cheek, and Stiles feels himself flame a bright red as his mouth works uselessly. Derek's breath flutters against his skin briefly before he leaves, the bell over the door chiming as he goes, and Stiles can't stop himself from pressing a hand to his cheek.

"Oh gross," Jackson comments and Isaac pushes him back to the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ninth Chapter End Note  
> sat down in the wrong class AU.
> 
> Done.
> 
> [list of AUs](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com/post/76998929204/camillamacaulayy-grinchtaire)  
> [my tumblr (if you wanna join me)](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com)


	10. Chapter 10

"So it's blatantly obvious you like each other," Isaac says as he sits on the counter and swings his legs, and Stiles looks up from where he's crouched on the ground rattling through the boxes to deliver, perks of being a _delivery_ boy, to give him a raised eyebrow.

"Well I wouldn't say _that_."

Isaac gives him a look and reaches down to flick Stiles's ear, making him yelp. "Derek kissed you," Isaac mutters, "he doesn't even do that to me."

Stiles can't stop himself from blushing as he looks back down, busying himself with stacking the packages into piles for their allocated areas and trying not to make eye contact with Isaac. He's still convinced he can feel Derek's lips against his cheek, his breath against his skin, and he can't stop his smile spreading across his face.

Isaac's foot nudging his shoulder makes him laugh, and he reaches up to push it away. "Stop it," he chides, and Isaac just does it again.

"It's sort of disgusting in a cute way," Isaac continues to say, "even though you're not even going out or fucking. I mean, it's painful how obvious it is, but the shy Bambi approach-"

"Isaac, shut up," Stiles groans as he stands up, and he shoots Isaac a glare when he awes at Stiles blush, "you can comment all you like, but I still don't know if anything is going to happen."

"He kissed you!"

"On the cheek," Stiles reminds him as he slams a box down on the counter, "and he hasn't contacted me since."

"Well, have you contacted him?"

"I-" Stiles cuts himself off as he shakes his head and Isaac grins in victory. 

"So, you can't blame it all on him. You're just as much to blame," and Isaac punches his arm for emphasis as he slips off the bench to help lift up the boxes. 

Stiles slowly nods his head, gnawing on his inner cheek again as he thinks that yeah, Isaac is right, and that's sort of unfortunate. 

"I don't really know what to say to him," he admits and Isaac pauses to look at him, "I mean, I'm interested, I've sort of always been interested despite his giant asshole attitude, but I mean lately that's been different. He's been sort of soft? Gentle?" He pauses to look at Isaac who raises an eyebrow. 

"Never thought I'd hear anyone define Derek as soft or gentle."

"Exactly," Stiles sighs as he moves back to continue placing the boxes up on the counter, smiling at Boyd when he comes along to start taking them to the delivery vans, "no one really would. So I can't tell if maybe he's really into me and showing me a side he doesn't show anyone, or if maybe he's latched on to me because I've been that pain in the ass person who's somehow popped up into his life at the right time?"

Isaac frowns, "what do you mean?"

"What I mean is that maybe he's being nice to me because of the fact that I've tried hard to help him get through Laura's death, and maybe his attraction to me _isn't_ attraction but, clinginess? To someone he's associating with Laura?" He sighs and runs a hand through his hair, "no, that doesn't sound right-"

"I get it," Isaac interrupts and takes Stiles by the shoulders, "you think that maybe he's essentially using you as a rebound guy?"

Stiles snorts, "god, that makes me sound pathetic."

Isaac just hums, giving Stiles a smile, before he picks up a load of boxes and disappears out towards the vans. Instantly Stiles feels miserable, having your friend not even comment on your situation sucks, and he picks up the last box to hand to Isaac or Boyd or whoever comes in first with a sigh.

Of course it's Isaac that swoops back in, snatching the box from Stiles before disappearing again with a grin on his face, and Stiles stands there stupidly for a minute, wondering what on earth is happening, before he hears Isaac calling his name as he comes back in.

"Here," he says as he shoves a box at Stiles, "this is your chance. There's no room for this in the back of the van for Boyd or I, so you're gonna have to deliver it personally. Funnily enough it's in Derek's building, so…" Isaac flashes him a wink as he pats him on the shoulder, and Stiles feels a lump surging up in his throat.

He doesn't argue at the look Isaac gives him though, and he slowly treks past him out to his Jeep. He passes Boyd in the corridor on his way, the man giving him an acknowledging nod, and Stiles can't stop himself from reaching out to grab his sleeve.

"Boyd," he says, and the man stops to raise his eyebrow at him, "there is enough room in the van, isn't there?"

Boyd laughs at him and reaches down to dislodge Stiles's hand from his sleeve. "Just go, Stilinski," he says, not too harshly, "what's the worst that can happen?"

"Humiliation," Stiles starts, "embarrassment, fire, explosions, collisions, tears, nudity-"

"Nudity is _good_."

"-and death," he finishes with a bright grin, making Boyd laugh.

"You've been watching too much TV," he says and Stiles deflates instantly, feeling miserable all over again, but Boyd sighs and grabs his shoulders, "for gods sake man. If you think of the worst, then all that will happen _is_ the worst. Think positive. It sounds like the guy has it bad for you, from what Isaac has said, and it seems your feelings for him are similar."

"But what if he says no!"

"Then he says no, and you pick yourself up and _move on_ ," Boyd growls, and he shocks Stiles by slapping him lightly on the cheek, "get a grip, Stilinski."

He stands staring at Boyd for a long minute before he grins and rushes forward to hug him, trying not to squish the delivery box between then. "Anyone tell you you should be a guidance councillor or something?" he asks and Boyd snorts.

"I won't get paid enough to put up with everyones shit," he mutters before pushing Stiles towards the door, "now hurry up and go."

Stiles grins as he bounds out of the building, crashing into the side of his Jeep and throwing himself in it. It's not until he's sitting in the car park of Derek's apartment building though that he realises that he doesn't actually have an excuse or _any_ idea of what to say to the guy, and he swallows as he glances over to the parcel.

He'll wing it, he decides as he climbs out and shoves the parcel under his arm, he still has to go deliver it first anyway. He heads up the steps slowly before pausing at the door with a sigh. Really, what was he thinking. He's distracted though when a lady walks out from the lobby, giving him a small smile as she passes, and he doesn't stop himself from darting forward to slip through into the lobby.

There's a map on the far wall, he notes, and he wanders over to it to read where the apartment for the delivery is. There's close to forty apartments, he realises, not all in the same building, but he takes a glance down at the delivery slip to see what number the apartment is and quickly finds thirteen.

Thankfully it _is_ in this building, and Stiles turns to the elevator, but pauses when it he sees the yellow tape striped across it reading " _BROKEN_ ", and he groans because he _hates_ exercise. With only minimal grumbling though he takes the stairs and he's thankful when he reaches apartment thirteen.

He takes a couple of deep breaths before knocking on the door, calling out "delivery!" as he does so, and he hears thumping from inside before the locks in the door are clicking and it's swung open.

"Delivery for-"

"Stiles?"

He freezes as he glances up from his delivery sheet, his eyes widening as he sees none other than Derek looking at him.

"Fucking Isaac," he hisses under his breath, the bastard hadn't told him that the delivery was _to_ Derek, and he quickly schools his face into a grin as he thrusts the parcel into Derek's arms, "delivery!" he chirps, and Derek raises an eyebrow.

"You said," he mutters before he looks down at it and Stiles watches as he frowns, "ah, Stiles?"

"Yeah?"

Stiles waits patiently for Derek to say something, watching with a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth as Derek seems to be _speechless_ , but then he looks up at him and gives him a small smile.

"Are you busy? Do you think you might be able to come in?"

He can literally feel his heart wanting to pound itself out of his chest as he gives a slow nod and strangled "y-yeah", but Derek looks thankful as he moves aside and allows Stiles into his apartment.

First thought? Why would anyone let _Stiles_ into their apartment, especially if it's as fancy looking as Derek's, and the second? _Damn it's fancy_.

"Nice place," Stiles comments as he moves forward and looks around at the warm coffee colours of the walls and the flickering gas fire, but he frowns when he sees a pile of boxes in the corner and what looks like a rug peeking out of one of them, but he shrugs it off. The guy is probably redecorating. Or maybe all of Laura's stuff has finally been shipped to him? He winces at that thought and instead turns to follow Derek over to the kitchen.

"Thanks," Derek finally replies as he places the parcel on the counter before turning to Stiles, and Stiles can't help but think that he looks nervous. _Really_ nervous.

"Everything okay?" he asks, and Derek looks a bit stunned for a moment before he slowly nods his head and Stiles smiles, "that's good. You just look a bit worried."

Derek's smile is humourless, Stiles notes, but he once again shrugs it off as he pulls his delivery hat off and settles it down beside him. 

"I'm, ah," he finally starts, after Derek continues to say nothing and Stiles can feel himself starting to fidget, "well, I'm glad you've invited me in actually. I mean, I sorta need to talk to you? Well, I do, no sorta about it, but I've kinda been putting it off because I was a bit worried that… you haven't contacted me? And I know we don't contact each other _regularly_ , but like, you sorta… in the coffeeshop the other day? I just…"

Derek looks pained as he glances up at him. "Stiles," he mumbles, but Stiles shakes his head.

"Please let me talk. I've got this," he insists, because he can feel the words he wants to say building up and _damn_ winging it was really the perfect idea in the end, and he finds himself moving around the counter to get a bit closer to Derek, "to be honest if it weren't for Isaac and Boyd then I wouldn't be here, I'm a bit of a chicken when it comes to these kind of things, and as you can tell I suck at getting to the point and I have had some _major_ doubts, like what if I'm just imagining things and you're actually just being friendly instead of, well, interested-"

"Stiles, please."

"No no," and Stiles has a surge of confidence as he steps forward to cup Derek's cheeks and he almost frowns when he sees they're watery, but just like everything he shrugs it off and takes a deep breath, "I need to say this. Please."

It looks like it takes Derek a lot of effort to slowly nod, and Stiles watches as his eyes trail down to look at the ground. He frowns this time, not holding back, before he reaches out with his thumb and brushes Derek's cheeks, trying to draw his eyes up, and when they do he gives Derek a soft smile as he speaks.

"You know, we could stand around here all day with both of us knowing that we have feelings for the other, and you can't deny it because it is fairly obvious that we do, but neither one of us want to speak of it first because despite all the evidence that points to the obvious happy ending we might get, there's still that little hint of doubt that we might actually be wrong and neither of us want to be emotionally destroyed like that."

"Stiles…" Derek starts again, and Stiles catches the broken tone but shakes his head to quieten him.

"But I _want_ to take that chance because I _know_ that you like me just as much as I like you and I know that if we really _try_ then we can-"

"No."

It's instant. His breath hitches in his throat, that one word strangling him, and he can hear his sub-conscious in his head telling him to _not shrug things off_ and Stiles can literally feel his world beginning to spin as Derek's hands come up to wrap around his and slide them from his face.

"No, Stiles," he mumbles, and Stiles _can't breathe_ , "this, we, us? It can't… no."

"W-Why?" Stiles can't stop himself from whispering, and Boyd's words of " _think of the worst, then all that will happen is the worst_ " are playing over and over in his head and he can't stop them, can't stop them repeating even though he's trying _so so hard_ not to think of the worst.

Derek's hands have left him, all contact severed, and Stiles hates that small sad smile when it appears on Derek's face. "I'm leaving," he explains, "I'm moving to New Zealand."

"What?"

"That meeting the other day? The one I had to leave for?" and Stiles nods slowly, "it was my bosses. They need someone to move to New Zealand for the next year or two to help set up the extension of our publishing branch. They thought it'd be good for me. I can get away from… from all these reminders of Laura and promote my book at the same time," Derek's laugh sounds hollow even to Stiles's ears.

His hands are trembling, Stiles realises, and he raises them to tuck against his body in an attempt to stop them moving. He can just feel them shaking against his sides instead though, and he holds in his sharp gasp at the sudden loss of control.

"But, why didn't you tell me?" he asks quietly, "I mean, we could work something out couldn't we? I'll be finished with my courses at the end of the year, and it's already April, and then I can move over to be with you?" He glances up and gives Derek a smile, "I'll be in the home of Lord of the Rings. I've always wanted to go there, even if I've been told that it's nothing but nature walks, and I'm fairly sure I can get some hiking boots. It'll be fine, and I mean I can come over in the holidays in the meantime and we've got the internet and-"

"Stiles, stop," Derek interrupts, and Stiles can't stop his shaky breath from leaving as Derek cups his cheek, "please, stop. You can't do this. I can't do this."

"But I thought this could-"

"You thought," Derek says gently, "you thought and I thought but thoughts are so different to reality," and then he leans in and presses a kiss, _a kiss_ , to Stiles's forehead and Stiles can't stop his broken sob from slipping out. 

"I could give you _everything_ ," he can't stop himself from saying, and he feels Derek freeze against him.

It takes a moment, but when Derek does pull away Stiles feels the cold air against his face instantly, feels him literally pull away completely, and he doesn't comprehend anything until he feels Derek pressing the parcel into his hands.

"You got the wrong apartment," he hears him say, "Mrs. Wayne is in apartment thirty-one, not thirteen."

It has to be a joke, Stiles realises as he feels Derek steer him towards the front door, that he got thirteen and thirty-one mixed up. _It has to be_. Because no, no he can't be reminded of that first place ride just _no no no no_.

"Derek-" he tries to say as the cold air of the hallway hits him almost as harshly as before, and he glances back to look at him, _Derek_ , and he hates when he sees nothing of the gentle man he'd gotten used to seeing.

"Goodbye, Stiles."

The door clicks shut, and Stiles barely manages to get to his Jeep before the tears come streaming down his face in thick hot pools, his hand covering his mouth as it opens in a wordless scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the mailman delivered a package to the wrong house AU.
> 
> Done.
> 
> (Another thing I changed. The tumblr list was talking about sex toys but I didn't think that would fit this kind of story, another time maybe, but I'm sorry if you were looking forward to this one.)
> 
> [list of AUs](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com/post/76998929204/camillamacaulayy-grinchtaire)  
> [my tumblr (if you wanna join me)](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com)


	11. Chapter 11

"I Just can't believe that you would ever give up."

"Isaac…"

"No, seriously. I mean, I've idolised you for never _ever_ giving up, for always been some stupid stubborn jackass that I've always sort of had the urge to punch repetitively, but now you are. You're _giving up_."

Derek sighs as he looks at Isaac, observing him literally shaking in anger, and he shakes his head slowly as he smiles bitterly. 

"I'm not giving up, Isaac. New Zealand is a chance-"

"To get away! To escape!" Isaac cries, and Derek winces as half the airport turns to stare at them, "I mean, I get that you want to get away from the memories of Laura, I get that because so do I, and I know how much it hurts. But to a whole new country on the other side of the world? You're leaving _everything_ , Derek." He pauses and Derek watches as Isaac's eyes begin to water before a broken laugh slips from Isaac's mouth.

"You're leaving _me_ ," he whispers, and Derek's heart breaks just a bit.

He's not a fan of public displays of affection. He often has to build himself up for them, but this time he doesn't as he drops his suitcase and surges forward to wrap Isaac up in a tight hug. Instantly hands are scrabbling at the back of his suit and Isaac is sobbing into his shoulder and Derek just feels _horrible_. 

"Isaac," he mumbles and the hands tighten to an almost painful grip, "Izzy, I'm not leaving you. I'm really not. I'll come back, I promise. It's only for a little while."

"I don't want it to be even for a little, not even for a week or a day or whatever," Isaac sobs, "I don't want you to go."

Derek takes a deep breath as he pulls back and cups Isaac's face. "You'll have Scott," he informs him, "and Allison and even bloody Jackson, _especially_ Jackson. And you know Stiles will be there for you too."

Isaac snorts and reaches up to wipe his face of tears. "You did a number on him," he remarks bitterly, and Derek frowns, "you have to promise to come back. You have to call me, Skype me, contact me in some way _every_ day."

"Every day?" Derek laughs and ruffles Isaac's hair, "I think that's probably a bit much."

"Every day for the first two weeks. At least."

Derek smiles at him fondly before he knuckle-touches Isaac's chin, "deal, kiddo."

Isaac nods as they lapse into a silence, both just staring at each other before Isaac shuffles forward for one more tight hug.

"I'm gonna miss you," he murmurs, and Derek just squeezes him before he pulls away to pick up his suitcase.

They don't say goodbye, because it's not a goodbye, but Isaac does say a quiet "I love you" and Derek hesitates before he returns the words. Isaac beams though and Derek counts it as a win as he turns and disappears through the doors to security, pausing once to give Isaac a wave.

Security is quick and no problem at all, and he only pauses once to help an elderly lady tug her purse out of the conveyer belt where it's stuck. She thanks him profusely, and Derek just waves her off before watching as another elderly lady comes through, takes the others hand and they both give Derek shy smiles as they wander off. 

He watches them for a long moment, only moving when he hears someone clear their throat, and he smiles apologetically as he quickly follows after the crowd towards the massive waiting room. He weaves through the crowd until he arrives at the seating area, and he contemplates sitting in one of the seats when his phone starts to vibrate in his pocket.

One look at the caller makes him groans, and he decides to avoid the public seating and instead moves to a nearby coffee shop that has booths.

"You're an idiot."

He sighs and he drops his suitcase on the table and tilts his head back to thunk against the chair. "Hey, Lydia," he drawls, and her snort makes him wince.

"Don't you ' _hey Lydia_ ' me," she snaps and Derek almost has to take the phone away from his ear when her voice comes out shrilled, "you are such an _idiot_ , Hale. Leaving the country to go off to the other side of the world? Leaving Isaac? Leaving Scott? Leaving Stiles? You almost sicken me."

"I missed how much of a cow you can be," he mutters, and turns his attention to an approaching barista. He covers the phone to order a mocha before he raises it back to his ear to catch Lydia mid-tangent.

"-cow. Asshole. At least I'm not ditching everyone with some stupid excuse."

"It's not an excuse, it's a job opportunity."

"Save it for someone who'll believe you."

He groans and runs his hand through his hair, tugging briefly at the strands caught around his fingers before he covers his face and exhales loudly. "What do you want me to say, Lydia?" he asks bitterly, and she laughs from her end.

"That you're actually just playing some stupid joke? That you're not actually leaving the country and _everyone_ behind?"

"The only one I'm leaving behind is Isaac, and even then I'll still-"

"Don't pull that bullshit with me, Hale," she literally snarls, and Derek wonders just how he actually became friends with this woman, "you're leaving more than just Isaac behind. I mean, that's bad enough for one thing. Your sister died, I get that, but Isaac needs you just as much as you need him. And Scott? Hell, I don't think anyone could be as attached to you as that kid, even Allison practically worships the ground you walk on. And _Stiles_ -"

"Stop," he bites out firmly, and his tone must be harsh as she falls silent, "don't even go near that."

"By 'that' do you mean your _failure to even be nice to the guy_?"

"I couldn't start a relationship with him," he explains, and it's right then the barista comes back over and drops off his drink making him pause and smile at her briefly, "not when I'm going to the other side of the world."

"You don't have to go," and Lydia sounds a lot calmer all of a sudden, "and even if you did, you didn't have to rip Stiles heart out and literally crush it. You know about Matt, and you know how the guy did a number on Stiles, and you _know_ that it would've taken Stiles a lot of courage to even consider a relationship with you. And that boy was keen to throw himself right at you, to _accept_ all of you. He helped you at your lowest and he was there for you despite being an irritating nitwit, yet you _turn him down_?"

"Lydia-"

"I don't want you to have anymore regrets, Derek. No more. You've already got enough, it's time for you to be happy."

He's silent for a bit, picking at the fabric of his suit pants as he thinks over his word before he smiles humourlessly. "What do you know about regrets, Lydia?" he asks softly, "you don't have any."

"Jackson," she suddenly says, and that makes Derek stop short, "I'll always regret leaving Jackson behind. I think he was my one true love really, if we're going to be soppy. And then when I came back last year he… well he has Isaac now. And they're happy, and I want them to be together. But that doesn't stop me from regretting and wondering what would've happened if I'd taken him to France with me." She pauses, her breathing a bit heavy, but Derek doesn't have time to reply before she ploughs on, "and then you. When you came back with me for that two month holiday. I found myself really liking you, thinking you were utterly perfect."  

"I remember," he mumbles, because he does. He remembers the heartbroken look on Lydia's face when he softly turned her down when they were standing beside the Effiel Tower, and he remembers thinking that the tower was a place of _love_ , not _heartbreak_.

"I can't tell if I regret telling you, or letting you get away so easily," she clarifies after a moment, her voice a lot clearer and breathing normally again, "but I do regret you. Not this friendship though. Even though it makes me want to get on a plane just to come kick your ass."

He laughs, and it sounds strangled but it's a laugh anyway. Lydia's sounds the same though and Derek winces a bit at that.

"He's perfect," Derek finally admits after a bit, "Stiles. He's perfect. And he's not covered in ash," and he hears Lydia's small whine of sympathy, "and I don't think I want to be the one to burn him."

"You use metaphors too much," she breathes back, but her voice isn't harsh.

"I'll stay," he says just as he looks up to see Matt Daelher and his assistant Erica walking over, "I'll stay for Isaac. And for Laura. But I can't tarnish Stiles."

"Derek-"

He cuts her off as he closes his phone just as Matt and Erica approach the booth, Erica looking pissed off and Matt nervous. He gives Erica a smile as he stands up, reaching out to clap his hand on her shoulder.

"We're going home," he informs her, and he grins when her face brightens and she lunges forward to hug him. He knows she didn't really want to go, knows that things between her and her boyfriend Boyd are getting serious enough that moving to another country was a bit of a shit idea. He pats her back lightly before he turns to Matt.

"Sir?" he asks, and Derek's never liked Matt. Always thought he was a spineless snake.

"You'll be going alone," he instructs, "myself and Erica will be staying here and informing the New Zealand Branch of the last minute change of plans."

He sticks around to give Matt a quick run down of things and some papers from his suitcase. He may not like the guy, but he does like his company. But soon enough he's making his way from the airport with Erica all but giggling madly beside him as she bounds along to find them a taxi.

"What's with the change of plans?" she asks as they slide in to the car, "I thought you were determined to go."

Derek smiles down at her. She may be a rat, but she's _his_ rat. "Isaac," he says and her eyes soften, "I can't really leave my brother."

"Does he know?" and when Derek shakes her head she just grins, "good! We can surprise them! He and Jackson were heading to Danny's to hold Boyd a pity party," and Derek takes a moment to wrap his head around all the names as Erica leans forward to instruct the taxi driver where to go.

She asks once who got it through his thick head that he needs to stay, and he laughs before he says Lydia. He's amused when not two seconds later Erica is typing furiously on her phone and he sees Lydia's contact name. He'd forgotten how close Lydia and Erica are from the numerous times Lydia's called up at his office and ended up talking to Erica instead of bitching to Derek about her latest problem/drama/Lydianess.

The drive is relatively short, Derek's nervousness of Isaac's reaction the only thing making it longer. He knows Isaac'll be thrilled, but at the same time he's worried about whether that'll last long?

"I can hear your thoughts from here," Erica snaps, "shut up and get out."

He does, not really paying attention to anything as Erica pays the driver and leads him towards a student apartment building. It's familiar to him for some reason, but he doesn't comment as he trails along behind her. He frowns at her slightly evil looking glare, but shrugs it off when they get to the door of what he assumes is Danny's apartment. 

"You ready?" she asks, and he nods just as she raises her fist to knock.

There's swearing on the other side, and Derek's eyes widen as he recognises the voice, before it's thrown open and he's staring at a bedraggled looking Stiles, who's staring back with just as wide eyes and a gaping mouth.

He vaguely hears Erica giggle before she takes off, but he can't tear his eyes away from Stiles as he _tries_ to figure out something to say, but his mind as blank besides the mantra of _shit shit shit shit_.

"You're… you're still here?" Stiles finally says, breaking the silence, and Derek swallows the lump in his throat before he nods.

"Yeah, I'm, ah, not going anymore."

He doesn't miss the small flash of hope on Stiles's face, and it makes him ache a bit as he watches Stiles seem to relax, leaning against the door as he tries, and fails, to look disinterested.

"Oh?" and yeah, Derek wants to laugh at the attempt to be nonchalant, "can I ask why?"

"Uh, well, Isaac," Derek finally says after a moment of quiet dilemma, and he winces when he sees Stiles's face fall and shoulder slump, "I decided I couldn't leave him."

Stiles nods silently before he looks up with a forced smile as he replies, "I guess that's good. He was pretty cut up this morning when Jackson picked him up."

Derek rolls his lips together and agrees with a quiet hum. They stand in awkward silence for a bit before both raise their heads.

"I-" they both say, and both stop only for Stiles to smile. 

"You first," he insists and Derek wants to argue, but decides against it.

"I, ah, haven't actually told him I'm still here yet," he explains, "that's why I'm here. Well, not _here_ here, I'm supposed to be at Danny's? Erica said something about them being there."

Stiles looks a bit put out before he nods with a tight smile. "Wrong apartment," he points out and Derek gives him a 'no shit' look that Stiles snorts at, "he's actually above us. 10b."

"Ah, thanks," Derek responds awkwardly, and Stiles just nods but doesn't say anything back. Derek hangs around for another moment before he nods at Stiles, says a "I'll see you around?" before he turns to wander off down the hallway towards the stairwell.

A few beats go by, he's passed two doors, then "Derek!"

He almost feels eager as he turns to see Stiles standing just outside his doorway, looking hesitant but determined, and Derek takes a few steps closer with his head cocked to the side.

"I," and Stiles pauses before he takes a deep breath and looks Derek dead in the eye, "Melissa told me ages ago, back  when we were in Beacon Hills and we were at the theatre, that sometimes we don't have a choice in who we love. And I didn't accept that. But, now? Now I think I do. 

"Because every time I look at you, Derek? I feel this sort of warm feeling in my stomach, and it's _weird_. I've never felt that before, but it's just nice? You know? And I think that maybe it's because when I think of you, I think of the fact that _you_ were the one who helped Scott with his anger issues. You're the one that saved him from himself, and I don't think I can ever repay you for that. If it hadn't been for you then I would've lost my best friend. But I still have him."

Derek looks at him, _really_ looks at him, and he can't stop himself from taking a step forward as Stiles looks to be preparing himself to go on.

"And then I think of you and Laura, and that _hurts_ , but every time I think of you two it makes me feel warm. When I think of what you've done for _Isaac_ , it makes me feel warm. And Scott and Allison, and I think about their kid and I know that you're going to be there all the time and be the _best_ uncle, because I know that you're going to feel obligated because they're still naming Laura it's godmother, and…" he pauses, and Derek's heart thumps madly in his chest, "I don't even really know what I'm saying."

"Stiles-"

"No," he holds up a hand and cuts Derek off, "no, don't interrupt. I just…" he takes another long breath before he locks eyes with Derek again. "I can't look at the stars now without thinking about you as a child with your mother, and I can't help but think that _I_ want to take you outside and show the clouds if you'll show me the stars."

Derek can't help but smile as he steps closer still, being maybe a couple of feet away from Stiles now, but neither look away from one another as Stiles nods his head at him.

"I think about that kiss you gave me at the coffee shop. Cheek or not, it still… that warmth in my stomach? It was breathtaking, you were breathtaking. Everything, it just seemed perfect. And then you turned me down. You tore out that warmth and crushed it along with me," he laughs, and it's bitter and harsh, "but do you know what the stupid thing is?"

"What?" Derek asks, his voice quiet and he waits with bated breath.

"Melissa was right," and Stiles's eyes are watery but Derek still finds them gorgeous, "because if I had a choice, I wouldn't love you. But I can't stop myself from doing so. And it hurts, but there's still that ridiculous warmth in my stomach when Isaac even mentions you, and I hate it so much, but dammit, Derek, I love you."

It's like the wind has been punched out of him, Derek thinks, as he stares at Stiles with wide eyes. They're almost touching, he can count the freckles dotting Stiles's cheeks, and he opens his mouth to say something, _anything_ in reply, but he must've taken too long as Stiles eyes go hard and cold before he steps away.

"Down the hall, to the left, take the stairs and Danny's is the first on the right," he snaps before he's storming into his apartment and leaving Derek out in the hallway.

He makes it to Danny's door, raises his hand to knock, before he frowns and shakes his head. No, he decides as he drops his hand, no, he's not doing this again. He's not just going to let Stiles get away from him.

Words might fail him, but actions can't.

///

Stiles closes the door, the quiet click ringing in his ears like a final statement, and he sags against the hard wood as he gives himself a moment to just think,  _fucking balls_. Because that was _Derek fucking Hale_ who's _back permanently_ and he didn't take his chance even though it was _right there_.

The thud of a knock makes the door vibrate against his back, and he frowns as he turns to open the door, only to be shocked when a flustered and panting Derek stares straight back at him. Red faced, wide eyes, rapidly moving shoulders, and yet Stiles still finds him attractive. 

"Fuck it, I love you too," Derek suddenly blurts, and Stiles goes ridged as he hears the words and he tries to process them but all he can do is open his mouth like some stupid fish. 

"I'm gonna kiss you now."

Wait _what_?

He doesn't even have time to finish his thought, or even really process a real one, before Derek is surging forward and finally, _finally_ , their lips are crashing together and Stiles is laughing as Derek's arms enclose him tightly against Derek's chest, and they just mould into each other as perfectly as Stiles has always hoped they would and its just _perfect_.

Even when Derek pulls back and there's this _giant fucking grin_ on his face that makes Stiles just _ache_ with love for this stupid stupid man, he can't stop himself from thinking back to that poem that Derek read him. 

And all he can think is _foreshadowing_. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> walked into the wrong dorm room/flat AU.
> 
> Done.
> 
> Thank you guys, all of you, so very very much for reading my story :) It's been a bit of an adventure, I must admit that writing chaptered fics are not really my thing but oh well! Best try it all at least once :)
> 
> I know that this was a bit angsty and odd, especially because all the prompts were cheerful and happy, but even I don't know how this happened. What I do know though is that I'm pretty proud, and I hope you're all proud as well.
> 
> So, once again, thank you all. You're splendid people, and I hope you all continue to be awesome forever and ever!
> 
> [list of AUs](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com/post/76998929204/camillamacaulayy-grinchtaire)  
> [COME AND ROCK OUT ON MY TUMBLR GUYS!](http://resacon1990.tumblr.com)


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